


At the Midnight Hour

by Rexrayy



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Adorable Gajevy, Adorable Gruvia, Adorable NaLu, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Didn't intend for it to get this long but I love it, Drama & Romance, F/M, Halloween, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Soul Eater References, Swearing, They're all just adorable imo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:14:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 103,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27378538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rexrayy/pseuds/Rexrayy
Summary: Levy and Gajeel live in completely different worlds. Levy is a college student in Hargeon Town and Gajeel works for the illegal crime organization known as Phantom Lord in Magnolia City.Their paths would normally never cross, but a chance encounter on Halloween in 2017 changes that forever. For the next several years, Levy and Gajeel keep running into each other on Halloween Night at the Midnight Hour, in different places and under different circumstances. Gajeel thinks his luck is shit, Levy thinks she's being haunted by a Devil, and Lucy lowkey thinks Levy might be hallucinating. Because seriously, what are the odds?But now it's 2020 and Halloween is coming up... will they run into each other again? And if they do, will they be able to part ways afterwards as easily as before?Join us for a wild night that entangles Levy and Gajeel, Natsu and Lucy, Gray and Juvia, and Cana, Lisanna, Jet, and Droy into a twisted web of coincidences and fate.Mostly Gajevy and NaLu, with Gruvia as well. Swearing, violence, alcohol. Fluff, but no citrus.
Relationships: Gray Fullbuster/Juvia Lockser, Levy McGarden/Gajeel Redfox, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 15
Kudos: 26





	1. Halloween 2017

**Author's Note:**

> I've been posting this to Fanfiction.net, same username, since mid-October.
> 
> I'm brand new to Ao3 so give me advice if needed! 
> 
> Cheers, and thanks for reading!~

**_Tuesday, October 31_ _st_ _, 2017_ **

**_-Hargeon Town-_ **

When Levy was running for her life through the velvet fabric halls of hell, she wondered how this had happened. Here she was, Halloween Night of 2020, being chased by men trying to kill her and desperately searching for the only one who could save her: the Devil she'd met three years ago, but who she'd only actually known for a couple of days.

Levy couldn't believe her luck.

But back in 2017, before she knew of velvet halls and red-eyed Devils, running for her life was the last thing on her mind...

She was racing down the sidewalk - a mosaic of reds, oranges, and yellows beneath her feet. The Autumnal leaves had fallen recently, covering the ground like snow.

Levy loved the colors of Fall, but she couldn't appreciate them right now. A smile graced her face and nervous excitement rushed through her veins. Her breath was lightly visible in the air as she panted, already exhausted from the physical exertion, but brimming with energy as she envisioned the night that lay ahead.

She picked up her pace, leaping nimbly over a root that broke through the sidewalk. Tonight was the night. Tonight was _the_ night!

_~Halloween~_

And it would be her first time celebrating the glorious holiday with her new college friends!

For the first time in her life, everything was falling into place. She felt happy and safe. College was everything she'd dreamed it would be, and the people she'd grown to love brought her as much joy as reading her favorite books.

She grinned widely as she ran. Tonight would be magical, she just knew it.

She whipped around a corner, leaves swirling at her feet, backpack bouncing at her back, and dashed the remaining few feet to her new home. It was a large sapphire blue house, crafted in a beautiful traditional Arts and Crafts style, with freshly painted white trim.

She rushed up the stairs, nearly running into the closed door in her haste. Pushing it open, she saw the front hall beyond was already full of chatting girls, dressed in a large variety of costumes. Scanning the crowd, she saw a Princess Peach, a dark mage, a ketchup and mustard bottle, and was that… a banana? She blinked, shaking her head, and dashed to the stairs, taking them two at a time, skidding down the upstairs hall to halt in front of her own door and throwing it open dramatically.

A beautiful blonde sat elegantly on a neatly made pink bed, one leg crossed primly over the other, holding her phone as if she had been about to call a certain _someone_ for the umpteenth time that night. The blonde quirked a perfect eyebrow upwards, regarding her roommate's disheveled appearance, while Levy bent over her knees heaving from the effort of the run.

"Levy? What took you so long? Where have you even been?" Lucy asked, before Levy had a chance to say anything.

"Ugh!" was all the bluenette could get out between heaves, holding a finger up.

"I…" _pant_ "I'm so…" _pant_ "I ran…" _pant_ "all the way here…" _pant_ "from the LIBRARY…" _pant_ , Levy struggled to get her backpack off, throwing it unceremoniously onto her bed. She tugged at her scarf, trying to breathe, and shrugged off her coat, throwing both onto her bed as well. It was not nearly as neat as the pink one across the room, but Levy wasn't typically known for her interest in organization.

Lucy paused a moment before cackling in a very unladylike way.

Levy turned to her friend and pouted.

"I don't know how this happened!" She complained.

"I do! You always lose track of time when you're reading! Gah! I KNEW I should've set an alarm on your phone!" The blonde smacked her own forehead, still laughing.

Levy looked pained.

"I just can't help it! It was like two o'clock, I had so much time, I figured I'd just read a bit before tonight! Next thing I knew it's already TEN THIRTY! I came as fast as I could!"

Levy glanced at her phone, seeing that it was now 10:49 PM.

"Fuck!" She exclaimed. "When were the girls all going to leave again?!"

Lucy had stopped laughing, brushing a tear from the corner of her eye.

"Ten fifty. It's a ten minute walk, party starts at eleven."

"Fuck!" Levy cried again, and she turned to their wall mirror to see how truly disheveled she was.

"I wanted to take a shower! I guess I don't have time for that anymore! I still need to get dressed and do the makeup! But gah… I really wanted to shower…. Ya know, I think I will, super quick. I want to LOOK ghastly, not SMELL ghastly. Okay, super fast, out like a flash, fastest shower of my life! Don't worry!"

And Levy was dashing through the door to their personal bathroom, long hair flying behind her as she went.

Lucy watched skeptically and sighed, looking at her phone.

 _Well, there's no way Levy will be ready in time,_ she thought. _Guess I'll just have to wait._

She glanced in the mirror herself, adjusting her headband and poking a finger at her immaculate eye makeup. Then she sat back and started scrolling through InstantaneousGram, resigning herself to the wait.

* * *

Gajeel felt the reassuring thrum of his bike beneath him as he whipped through the Hargeon streets. The trees swayed in the breeze above, and he narrowed his eyes against the glare of the setting sun. He rolled up to a red light, setting his foot down to prop up his bike and he leaned against the handlebars, shoulders hunched, watching through slitted eyes as a casual pedestrian strolled down the street.

Gajeel didn't typically pay much attention to what day it was. He cared little for the differences between a "weekday" or a "weekend day", since the distinction between the two typically didn't mean anything to him. Holidays? Pfft, who cared. The days all blurred together, roughly the same, with the only differentiation being would today be a good day? Or would today be a _bad_ day?

This was the most relevant thing to him, and the best days were uneventful ones. He just wanted to eat a good meal and get some sleep. Was that too much to ask? In his world, yes. Yes, it was. His life was anything _but_ normal, and on each day it could honestly go either way. One moment things could be smooth sailing, the next it could all be hell. But he was used to it, as much as he could be, and the best way he dealt with the uncertainties of his lifestyle was by pulling back into himself and not caring. Gajeel was a stone wall.

So if someone were to tell him it was Halloween, he wouldn't be fazed. It's just another day. But he'd have to be an idiot not to notice it, since everyone took the chance to dress up as ridiculously as possible and parade their silly outfits all over the streets. He snorted.

The pedestrian in front, for instance. Their head to toe black outfit wouldn't necessarily be unordinary, but the weird stick things protruding from it, propped up with a weird belt-like contraption and what appeared to be tons of duct tape… that was _not_ ordinary. Were they constructed out of pool noodles? Were they supposed to be… legs? So, a spider? An insect? A … black octopus?

The light changed and Gajeel sped off, leaving the pedestrian in the dust. He didn't care to partake in holidays. The outfits people came up with were ridiculous and an inane waste of effort. But, he supposed, if anyone were to ask him if he liked Halloween (which no one ever would), he'd probably say that… yes. Yes, he did like it. Not for any of those silly reasons, like the decorations or the pumpkin carving, but because it was the one night of the year in which he looked like he fit in.

Gajeel was tall with long, unruly black hair, a shitload of facial piercings, and sharp red eyes. He dressed in all black and he _terrified_ people. He _loved_ it. It was particularly helpful in his line of work and he did everything he could to be as scary as possible without needing to lift a hand. Since Halloween welcomed the fear factor, he fit right in. He was a _true_ Devil and he reveled in that fact.

He turned down a side street and started navigating through alleyways, getting further and further away from the town center. The buildings started to look more and more dilapidated.

He pulled to a stop outside of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse and shut his engine off, swinging easily off his bike, pulling his helmet off, and shaking out his long hair. He set his helmet on the back of the bike, unzipped his black leather jacket, and flipped open his phone to check the time. It was a burner phone, like they always were.

Gajeel didn't come to Hargeon often. In fact, he only came about once a year. Hargeon's University had been growing in popularity over the past five years, and with the influx of students and the growing population, José had seen an opportunity to expand on one of his business fronts. Thus, an operation had sprung up along the docks of the harbor, hidden in some of the old warehouses, and so far the lucrative business had been doing quite well.

But José didn't trust his henchmen, he didn't trust anyone quite honestly, so he'd send people from the city to go check up on them every now and then. Gajeel was one of those men sent. José's operations were extensive, and Gajeel didn't even try to pretend that he knew everything about them. He just did as he was told and kept his head down. That was the only way to stay alive. So when José asked him to go to Hargeon, he'd go to Hargeon. He'd probably just need to glare a bit, knock a few heads around. Maintain José's image, freshen up his threats.

In this part of town, the streets were barren and the atmosphere ghostly.

Gajeel shoved his hands in his pockets and turned towards a narrow space between two of the warehouses. Cobwebs clung to the eaves of the low overhangs on either side, and he had to slit his eyes to navigate the junk and clutter that littered the ground.

All those people out there with their fake spider webbing and cute-sy decorations… He scoffed at all those people. They wanted Halloween? They just needed to visit the darker corners of the world, the underground. These were the streets he walked every day, this was his life. He grinned in the darkness, sharp teeth shining.

Yes, he really was a Devil, living amongst the filth that the world chose to ignore. They glorified it for one night each year, but he lived it. Amongst the real spiders, the real rats, the truly festering and rotten things that hid along the edge. The mushrooms and mold, the blight creeping through the shadows, devoid of human life…

In the darkest corners of his mind, past trap doors, buried deep… Hidden behind lock and key… a possible hope dwelt that maybe, someday, he could escape this life. Maybe he could be normal, lead a life outside of the shadows. If there was ever time that a Devil could leave the underworld and walk amongst men, wouldn't it be this night? A night when the lines between worlds blurred, the dead could walk among the living, and even the most evil things came out to play…

Gajeel would deny this thought to his death. No, he did not like Halloween because of some flimsy hope that he could ever be _normal_ , that was _ridiculous._ He simply enjoyed the Halloween aesthetic because it matched him so perfectly.

He was the Devil. It was a part he played well. It was more than a part, it was his _life._ And he relished in the strength of it. Devils were harsh and fearless. They beat the world around them into submission and they took what they wanted because they could. They could never be hurt because they had no hearts and they had no souls.

Yes, he was happy to be a Devil and he was happy to live in the shadows where he belonged, and Halloween was pretty cool because it worshipped that, but he never intended to leave his underworld. This was where he belonged, this was his _home_.

Nothing would ever change that, not even this night.

* * *

Levy stepped out of the shower, quickly turning the water off. She glanced again at the time and gulped.

_Shit! Shitshitshit!_

Her _first_ Halloween party during her _first_ year of school.

And she was running late! She felt horribly guilty to be doing this to Lucy, especially knowing that her friend had been looking forward to this event for weeks.

Levy's heart felt full when she thought about how incredibly lucky she was to have met Lucy on her first day of school. They'd just so happened to have every single class together, and when they had arrived at the last one, and seen that they shared this one too, they'd simultaneously pointed at each other and shouted _'YOU!'_

And then they'd broken down laughing and decided to get coffee together after class. Then they'd discovered they were planning to move into the same house, and becoming roommates was the obvious answer. And since then, the two girls had been inseparable, finding out that they actually shared many interests, one of which being a passion for All Hallow's Eve.

But Levy knew it was more than that for Lucy. She'd had a growing crush on their mutual friend since the start of school and Levy knew she had been hoping to get a little closer to him tonight. She felt bad that Lucy was going to be late because of her...

* * *

Outside the bathroom, Lucy sat on her bed, still scrolling through her phone and sighed. It was 11:01 PM and the other girls in the hallway had left a while ago. They were probably already there by now.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts and she looked up to find a beautiful white Catwoman in their doorway.

Lucy smiled at Lisanna, the girl who lived across the hall and who was a year older than Levy and herself. But then she frowned. Hadn't all the girls left?

"Hey there Lucy, you guys ready yet?" Lisanna asked, leaning against the door jamb, cute white cat ears adorning her naturally white hair.

Lucy stuck a thumb towards the bathroom and Lisanna peered at it curiously.

"I'm waiting on Levy, she's running late. Why are you still here?"

"Waiting on you guys of course. It's your first year and we didn't want you to walk there alone." She smiled.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" Lucy cried, feeling bad that Lisanna was going to be late now too.

Lisanna simply waved a hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it, it's chill. Cana is still downstairs too, want to come have a drink with us?"

Lucy glanced again at the bathroom door, then said, "Uhm yeah sure, I'll tell Levy we'll be downstairs."

Just then a muffled response could be heard from the bathroom: _"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT! GO AHEAD! I'LL BE READY IN FIVE!"_

Both girls laughed and Lucy hopped up to follow Lisanna out the door, the girl's white cat tail swishing as she walked.

* * *

Levy had heard Lisanna talking to Lucy and she flushed when she realized that she was now forcing _three_ people to wait on her.

She rushed out of the bathroom in a swirl of steam, fluffy towel wrapped securely around herself, hair tied up in another. She dug through the pile of clothing at the foot of her bed, which she insisted was all clean, until she triumphantly pulled out a long, poofy white dress.

She quickly dried herself off, put on underwear, and shimmied into the dress. She glanced at herself in their mirror and gave herself a thumbs up. Perfect. It looked great.

Now, just for the make-up, the fake blood, and where were those big rubber teeth?

Levy started pawing through her possessions once more to gather what she needed, but just then her phone chimed and she glanced over at it, noticing both that it was already 11:13 PM (crap!) and that she had a text from Gray.

Gray: _Where r u guys?! Ur comin rite? Bettr come quick, Natsu is pretending not to look for Lucy *rolling eyes emoji* *laughing with tears emoji*_

Levy groaned. She was probably only halfway ready and she really hated making everyone wait on her. She decided she'd go downstairs and insist that they go ahead, she could catch up in her own time. She'd feel a lot less stressed that way.

She spun on her heel and headed downstairs, long white dress flowing around her as she walked.

* * *

Lucy followed the white cat into the kitchen and found Cana leaning against the granite island countertop, sipping at a shot glass.

"Woah, Cana, are you a… gypsy?" Lucy asked, admiring her friend's flashy, though honestly quite scandalous, costume. The loose pants were fine, if not riding a bit low, but the top was basically a bikini, with beads strung across her exposed stomach. Lucy's eyes practically bulged at all the cleavage.

Cana chuckled at the expression on Lucy's face and smirked back at her. Lucy blushed, having been caught staring.

"Yeah, thanks Lucy. This is my go-to costume. I always seem to get lucky in it," she winked, and Lucy felt her blush deepening.

"I like your costume too, is it… modern art?" Cana questioned, motioning to Lucy's shirt.

Lucy glanced down at the tank top she was wearing over a colored t-shirt. Two holes had been cut in the tank top over where her boobs were, allowing the color of the t-shirt underneath to be seen.

"It's from a movie! Levy and I are doing a joint costume!" Lucy said. "The bunny ears are part of it too," and she pointed at said ears on her head.

"Hmm, I see, I see," Cana said thoughtfully, before quickly transferring her attention back to the alcohol she was sipping.

"You up for a shot, Lucy?" Lisanna asked cheerfully, brandishing a bottle of vodka.

"Yeah, sure," Lucy replied, picking a shot glass up from the counter.

"What are we honoring?" asked Cana, licking her lips.

"Hmm," Lucy put a finger to her chin. "First party of the year?"

"Yeah that's right!" Lisanna cheered. "It's your _first_ shot, for your _first_ party, in your _first_ year of school!"

"I'll cheers to that!" Cana said, and the girls tapped their shot glasses together. Cana threw her head back smoothly, but Lucy started gagging as the harsh liquid flooded her mouth.

Lisanna and Cana both laughed at her and Lucy found herself laughing as well, warmth blossoming in her stomach. It wasn't the first time she'd ever drank, but the alcohol mixed with the nervous energy she'd been nursing all day in anticipation for tonight and her mind instantly went to the boy with pink hair that she maybe liked a little.

"Let's do another one," she said to distract herself, and Cana raised an eyebrow at her.

"Woah, I like it Lucy! Good idea!"

Just then Levy swished into the kitchen.

"Perfect timing!" Cana cried, as Lisanna started filling their shot glasses again, pulling out a fourth one for Levy.

"Are you ready, Levy?" Lucy asked.

"Uhm, not quite, I haven't done the makeup or the fake blood yet," Levy said, feeling bad and sensing that her friend was itching to go.

"But I came down to tell you guys to go on ahead, I don't want you to wait on me, just send me the address and I'll be right along! It's only like a ten minute walk right?"

Cana nodded, but Lisanna and Lucy looked unsure.

Lucy's phone pinged and they all looked at it. Lucy unlocked it, opening a SmackChat from Natsu. Distorted music, heavy with bass, filled the kitchen and Lucy quickly lowered the volume as they all cringed.

Natsu could barely be seen, slightly grainy in the low lighting, but his hair color still popped out brightly. The girls watched as he appeared to be standing on a table in a room packed with people. He held up a red plastic cup as if he was saluting the phone, then shouted, _"LUCE! TRUST FALL!"_

He grinned wickedly, purposely leaning backwards, and falling off the table onto the mob of people below. The girls gasped as the camera became a flurry of blurry images, shouts of confusion and laughter coming through before the video cut out, leaving them glancing around at each other in the sudden silence of the kitchen.

"Well _someone_ is certainly having fun," Cana laughed, and Lucy gaped at her.

"What the heck is he _doing_?" She asked, "Is he already drunk?!"

Cana waved her hand.

"Probably not, he's always like that at parties. Interesting though that he only sent that to you," Cana said speculatively, eyes sparkling, and Lucy blushed as Levy and Lisanna giggled.

"Seriously," Levy said, "You should just go. And, well, he's clearly _dying_ to see you."

"Levy, not you too!" Lucy groaned, but her eyes were shining and she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

"Let's just all do one shot and then we'll head out," Cana said, licking her lips.

"You sure you're good to walk there alone?" Lisanna asked, handing Levy a shot glass.

Levy took the glass thankfully and nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine. I feel like I already know this area well. Like I say, just send me the address and worst case I can use GigaMaps. I'll obviously have my phone with me. I don't know how much longer I'll take and I really don't want you guys waiting on me."

Lucy looked at her friend. She felt kind of guilty leaving her to walk by herself, but she also really wanted to get there and make sure Natsu was okay. The other girls seemed to think he was fine, but she felt worried for him with how the video had cut out.

The girls raised their shot glasses for another toast.

"To a magical night!" Cana shouted, and they threw them back, this time Levy being the one to gag.

Cana laughed, telling her she'd get used to it, but Levy could only think, _man, this feels like romanticizing alcoholism._

Regardless, the vodka swirled through her system, warming her up nicely, and she grinned at her friends who were gathering their things to head out.

She walked them to the door, leaning against it and waving as her three friends stumbled off into the night, turning at the sidewalk. Tonight was going to be a great night. Like Cana said, Halloween meant magic. She hurried upstairs to finish getting ready. The sooner she was done, the sooner she could rejoin her friends and the sooner she could enjoy whatever the night had in store for her.

* * *

A spark flared up as Gajeel leaned forward to light his cigarette, taking a long smooth drag and holding it a moment before letting the smoke rush out in one slow breath. He leaned his back against the building behind him, propping his foot on the wall, knee jutting forward. His business in the building behind him was done, and he was planning to enjoy this cigarette and then head out. It was probably around midnight, and he had a long drive to look forward to.

The street was dark, nightfall causing this shady part of town to be even shadier, and the streetlamps here were sparse. Their mellow light flickered softly, almost making the darkness worse by accentuating the shadows that bulged beyond their pools of dim light.

He took another drag, looking out at nothing in particular.

No one else was on the street and moments of solitude like this were greatly appreciated in his life. He could feel the tension from earlier draining away with each drag. If he was being honest, he was also looking forward to the drive back. Maybe he'd take the long route back, detouring through the countryside. There was spot he enjoyed going to, when he had the time. He'd never seen another person there and he enjoyed the idea that it was a place all to himself. He didn't have too many of those.

Biting the cigarette between his teeth he took another long pull, but suddenly a shout rang out to his right. Looking that way, there was no one in the street, but further down there was an intersection. One of the lonesome streetlamps must have been located around the corner to the right. Gajeel couldn't see the lamp itself, but he could see light flowing from that direction, and he could see three long dark shadows in that light. Three people were causing those shadows.

Gajeel narrowed his eyes. The only people on these streets at this time of night were drug addicts and thugs, neither of which he was too keen to interact with.

But as he was taking another drag of the cigarette, he heard something that had him pausing. Another voice made its way to him, one that didn't fit. He scowled. He didn't like getting involved in things that weren't his business. But the voice kept talking, it's light higher qualities making it obviously feminine, and he couldn't help feeling like something was wrong with the situation down that street. A part of him wasn't okay with that.

Something had him taking one last long pull and then throwing the half-spent cigarette to the ground, crushing it into the asphalt with the toe of his boot. He was scowling at his own actions, but his curiosity had gotten the best of him and he stuffed his hands into his pockets as he prowled towards the voices. He still fully intended to stay in the shadows but he supposed a peek wouldn't hurt.

* * *

" _Fuck,_ " Levy muttered under her breath.

Well, there was no denying it. She was utterly, absolutely lost.

She looked at the shadowed buildings around her. She had definitely never been to _this_ part of town, and she was beginning to realize why. Everything was sketchy, and each alleyway she passed looked more and more like a drug den or a place to stash a body. How had she even gotten here?

She had finished with her costume at about 11:40 PM, adding one last splash of blood and grabbing the fake teeth on her way out the door. She hadn't gotten an address yet from anyone, but she had a vague idea of where the house should be. She knew it was somewhere on Hawthorne street, the main street for many student houses on this side of town.

Going off that knowledge, she had turned confidently in the direction she believed the house to be, but she couldn't seem to find it. The more she walked the more she seemed to be going in circles and by the time she realized her phone had died she had absolutely no clue where she was.

That was when the first bit of fear settled in her stomach. If her phone hadn't died she could keep calling her friends, or at least look up directions to get back home. But with no phone and no idea where she was, she was starting to feel supremely nervous about the situation.

She stopped under a slightly flickering street lamp, the streets barren around her. She looked down at her dead phone with apprehension.

"Stupid, Levy!" she muttered to herself angrily. "Stupid, stupid, _stupid!_ "

"What's that, dear?" came a cold voice to her left, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

She turned towards the voice, fear shooting through her, and she noticed three men walk out from the darkness.

 _Where the fuck did they come from?_ She thought, eyes narrowing. _Crap, I need to get out of here._

"Were you talking to yourself?" the voice asked again, and Levy focused in on the one talking to her. He was tall, taller than her (well, most people were), and completely bald with a large nose ring. His eyes were dark in the light and she didn't like the way they looked at her. His companions were dressed in similarly nondescript clothing. One had semi-shaggy hair, and one had hair all the way to his collarbone. She blinked.

 _That's kind of funny,_ she thought, _fully bald, to shaggy, to shoulder-length… fuck no, Levy, this isn't the time to be thinking about hairstyle trends._

"No," she replied, trying to stand up taller and looking back at them confidently. She wondered if her white face makeup and huge dress helped at all, or just made her look dumb.

"I wasn't talking to myself, thank you very much. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way…"

She turned away from the bald one, only to practically run into the shaggy-haired one, and she realized with a gulp that they had spread out without her noticing. She backed up, but her back hit the pole of the streetlamp. They surrounded her, still about ten feet away, but close enough that she had nowhere to retreat to.

"E- excuse me," she said, her voice shaking slightly, but she cleared her throat and tried to glare as harshly as she could.

"Excuse me, let me pass."

"No," said the bald one and he smiled.

"…What?" Levy breathed, the fear growing inside her stomach.

"Here's the thing. You look like you're in a bit of a bind, cutie. Are you lost?" He asked, smile growing. His teeth were a sickly yellow.

"No, I'm not lost," Levy said, hoping she sounded confident.

 _What the fuck do I do?_ She thought. _I don't know if I could get past them if I tried, but even if I could, I don't know if I'd be able to outrun them… My phone is dead too. I should've pretended I was on the phone talking to someone, but it's too late to feign a phone call and they'd probably call my bluff…_

Levy was trying to reason through her options, but the fear was making it hard to focus.

"See, I'm pretty sure you are… _Lost_ that is. And that there, that's a shame, isn't it guys?" The bald one made an exaggerated frown as if sympathetic of her situation.

"A real bummer. But see, we could help you out, if you want. Do you want that? Do you want some help? But you'd have to show us a bit of gratitude in return. What do you say, honey? Would you wanna pay the price? For some help?"

Levy's face flushed with anger. They were mocking her and she hated it. She felt helpless… She decided to fall back on the only thing she could think of, another bluff. She prayed they wouldn't see through it.

"Actually no, I would _not_ ," she said forcefully, "But the thing is I'm meeting some friends here, in just a moment. They wouldn't like what you're insinuating. I'm not sure you would want to stick around and meet them." She narrowed her eyes at him and maintained eye contact.

He seemed to hesitate for a split second but then laughed and Levy swore in her head.

"Hah! Friends she says! What a riot, dear!" He met her eyes again and leaned down towards her face. "See, I think you're bluffing!"

Another wave of fear washed over her and he must have seen it in her eyes, since he straightened up all the more confidently, rather satisfied with himself. But Levy wouldn't give up, she just couldn't. She would NOT get assaulted or raped here tonight. That was NOT going to happen.

"Oh no, I'm not!" she insisted, with more vigor. "My friends are real people, who you don't want to mess with! They will fuck you up if you so much as touch me! They'll be here any second, and if I were you I would leave me the **fuck** alone!"

Levy glared at him as viciously as she could, refusing to let the fear make her look away. She saw the slightest hesitation return to his eyes and she felt a little hope that this might actually work! She just needed to keep pushing!

" **And what the fuck is goin' on here?"**

Levy's small hope fled as quickly as it had come, along with all the blood in her face. She was caked in white face makeup, but she supposed if she wasn't she'd still look white as a sheet.

 _Fuck_ , she thought. _What now?!_

They all turned towards where the sound had come from, and Levy watched as the darkness itself seemed to materialize into human form, joining them in the streetlamp's pool of light. The three men instantly bristled, backing away from this fourth man, but Levy couldn't do anything but stare.

He was _tall_. Taller than most anyone she'd ever seen, taller than the bald man with the large nose ring, and his long raven-black hair fell around his face, which was covered in piercings. Even his eyebrows seemed to have been replaced with piercings. Did she mention that he was tall?

His hair was the longest now of the four men around her, and Levy once again caught herself imagining them in a lineup based on hair length, before she mentally slapped herself for thinking dumb things. Seriously, she was in a potentially life or death situation and she was thinking about hair?

She was frowning at herself for her own dumb thoughts when she looked back up and suddenly had her breath taken away because he was staring straight at her and she felt like a deer in headlights. Sharp crimson eyes peered into her soul and she gulped, unable to look away. He was the one who broke the eye contact, lazily sweeping his eyes back to the three men between them, and he pulled his hands from his pockets to cross them over his chest.

"So?" he asked, and no one answered.

"What the fuck is goin' on here?" He asked again. "Do ya know these creeps, Shorty?" And he turned towards her again, nodding to the three men in question.

Levy froze, all eyes on her. The three men looked uncertain about this turn of events, but the bald one especially was growing increasingly angry.

"Yeah she fucking does," he said, glaring at the newcomer.

Gajeel turned to him, a severe frown on his brow.

"Was I fucking askin' ya?"

"Uhm, no," Levy said, speaking up. "No, I don't know them."

But then an idea came to mind and she found herself saying, "But see! This is one of my friends! The rest are probably still on the way, but you should leave me alone now!"

All eyes were back on her and Levy swallowed nervously, throat going dry. The three men looked confused and pissed off, but the fourth, the newcomer, looked totally caught off guard. He was frowning at her since it was obvious to him that they were _not_ friends. But Levy hoped he would just play along.

"What the fuck?" the bald one spat. "He literally just asked if you knew _us_."

Levy trembled slightly, knowing this wasn't super convincing.

"You really expect me to believe- oi!"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence as he was lifted by the back of his shirt and thrown roughly to side, falling to the ground. He spat, lifting up to his forearms and glared back at Gajeel, who had obviously been responsible for that. Gajeel looked back coldly, and re-crossed his arms.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" He shouted, scrambling to his feet and rushing towards Gajeel, hands up, ready to fight. But the look in Gajeel's eyes had him pausing, unable to throw a punch.

"What the fuck was that, asshole?" he shouted instead, anger emanating from his being. He glanced at his friends, expecting them to back him up, but they were both watching nervously and neither seemed ready to step forward and confront Gajeel with him.

Gajeel had realized pretty quickly he'd stumbled into an unfavorable situation. As soon as he'd turned the corner and seen the small girl backed up against the streetlamp, three tall men surrounding her on all sides, he'd frowned deeply. The girl was clearly in some kind of Halloween costume, what with the face makeup and the fake blood on her dress. But despite how thickly the makeup was caked on there, he could still see the fear plain as day, both on her face and in her posture. She was trying to act tough, shouting back at the men and glaring sharply, but the odds were not in her favor. She was out of her depth and out of place.

The three men on the other hand, they looked like these alleys were their regular hunting grounds. People like that made Gajeel sick and he had growled. Before he knew it he was walking forward into the light of the streetlamp, ready to fuck them up.

_So much for not getting involved._

Now, he stared back down at the bald man in front of him, expecting his height difference and fearsome appearance to do the trick. And sure enough, the man was looking less and less sure of himself by the second.

"You should just leave!" the man whined, causing Gajeel to roll his eyes.

"Just leave us alone! We were here first, so fuck off! There's three of us, you'd better hope we don't decide to attack you!"

"Gihi," Gajeel chuckled, making the man widen his eyes further in anger.

"Now yer the one bluffin'," Gajeel said darkly.

 _Time to finish this_ , he thought, and dug into his jeans.

Gajeel enjoyed the look on the bald man's face as he pulled a switchblade from his pocket and flipped it open. The man kept looking back and forth between Gajeel's face and the switchblade in his hands, involuntarily taking a step back. Gajeel adopted a nonchalant air and began to use the sharp tip of the blade to clean the dirt out from under his fingernails. Without even looking at the bald man Gajeel could feel his nervous energy. Gajeel knew he looked terrifying and he grinned, letting his sharp teeth catch the light.

"See, I don't think yer gonna attack me," Gajeel drawled.

"Ya know why?' he asked, and no one said anything.

"Because these odds aren't in yer favor, boys. They're in _mine_ ," Gajeel grinned wickedly, looking up and slowly making eye contact with all three in turn. He was pleased to see that they looked like they were about to piss their pants.

_Perfect._

The other two were already backing up to leave when the bald one said, "Fine. Whatever. We were leaving anyways."

" _Good,_ " Gajeel growled, ready for this to be over.

"But don't – ," and here the man pointed at him viciously, while still backing up, "- Don't you _dare_ think this is over! You better hope we never run into you again! We'll be ready next time! We will fucking _destroy_ you!"

Gajeel scoffed, knowing it was all hot air.

"Lookin' forward to it," he said anyways, turning back to his nails, watching the three men retreat from the corner of his eyes.

"And _you!_ " and here the bald man turned towards Levy and she flinched, back still pressed to the pole of the streetlamp.

"This isn't over for you either, _bitch_!" he said, spitting at her, and she shrunk further down, avoiding his eyes.

Then all three turned and ran, leaving Levy and Gajeel alone in that halo of light.

Levy was stunned. The tall man was still standing in front of her, cleaning out his fingernails with a fucking _switchblade_ , and seemed to be completely ignoring her. She wondered if she should just walk away, if he would even notice. It didn't seem like he was paying any attention to her and she wasn't sure she wanted him to.

A couple silent seconds passed and she decided that was exactly what she would do. She pushed off from the lamp poll and slowly turned to her right, hoping to escape the way she had come, in the direction opposite of where those three men had gone.

"Where the fuck are ya going?"

Levy winced, feeling like a small child who had been caught trying to sneak out past curfew. She turned back to the man and made eye contact again. He had put the switchblade away and was watching her inquisitively, hands once again in his pockets.

She paused. Was it just her, or was he a lot less scary now? It was almost like he wasn't trying to be intimidating anymore, and despite the fact that he was naturally so much taller and more imposing than any of the other three men, Levy felt a lot safer than she had before.

 _Shut up, Levy_ , she told herself. _He still has a fucking switchblade. You should definitely still be worried about him._

Gajeel was happy it had taken minimal effort to scare off those wannabe thugs, but he was really ready to be done with this whole affair. Unfortunately, he still had _her_ to worry about. Wait, he shouldn't have to worry about anyone. Why should he be worried about her?

He sighed.

"So what's yer plan, Shorty? Do ya really have friends comin'?" he asked, watching her frown at first, until she remembered the nature of her bluff.

"Oh, no," she admitted, then quickly cursed herself. She shouldn't have said that.

"Look, I just need to get back, there's people waiting for me." That part, at least, was true.

"I'll just go back the way I came and-,"

"Yer lost," Gajeel stated blankly, and Levy flinched.

"No I'm not," she denied, and lifted up her phone.

"I'll just call them and-,"

"It's dead, ain't it."

He crossed his arms and she flinched again, frowning down at the ground.

Levy couldn't believe he had seen through her so easily. She was pretty miffed about that, but she was also annoyed with herself for giving everything away. If he decided to do anything bad, she didn't have any good bluffs to fall back on, and even though there was only one of him, she was definitely still outmatched. What if she had just fallen out of the frying pan and into the fire? She gulped, waiting to see what he would do.

Gajeel was annoyed. How had this girl been so dumb as to get herself into this situation? This was precisely why he tried to avoid other people's problems. But he sighed, knowing he was already in too deep and knowing also that he couldn't leave her here, or watch her walk back alone. Who knew what other creeps were crawling through these streets?

"Look, I'll walk ya back," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"You will?" Levy asked, voice hopeful as she glanced up at him. Was he serious?

"Ya, I will," he said, meeting her eyes with his own, and she saw unexpected sincerity there.

"Uhm, okay. Thanks."

Levy was not expecting that and she felt slightly shocked, but he was already striding past her and she had to jump to catch up.

"So where ya goin', Shrimp," he asked, peering down at her from the sides of his eyes as he walked.

She was already struggling to keep up, that long white dress of hers doing her no favors, and he sighed again but slowed down slightly anyways.

"I need to get to Hawthorne Street," Levy said, staring straight ahead, not pleased with the nicknames he kept calling her. Also, this monster walked way too fast, couldn't he slow down? He was seriously getting on her nerves, but he was helping her so she knew she shouldn't complain.

"Where on Hawthorne street?"

"Uhm, I'm not sure…"

"Yer not sure?" He frowned, looking over at her more.

She had puffed her cheeks out in irritation from his tone, among other things.

 _Cute,_ he thought. Then shook his head. _What the fuck?_

" _Yeah,_ " she said, forcefully, "I'm not _sure_ , okay? Just help me get there, _please."_

The 'please' was definitely forced and Gajeel raised an eyebrow at her. She had some spunk and he kind of liked that.

They walked in silence for several more minutes. Levy wasn't able to focus on anything else other than trying to keep up and not trip over her damn dress.

 _Sheesh,_ she thought _. I should have picked something shorter. This is ridiculous._

Gajeel had an easygoing air about him, but internally he was on edge. He kept one eye on her and one eye on their surroundings at all times.

Yeah, this was definitely not a safe part of town. What the hell had she been doing here? Sure, she got lost, but how was it possible to get _this_ lost. He didn't even live here and he still knew how to get to Hawthorne Street. He scoffed, thankful that it was at least close by and he'd be able to get rid of her soon. He was certain that the head of long blue hair beside him had no idea when eyes peered out at them from the darkness, but he could feel them watching, and it made his skin crawl.

He was just glad he had intervened before something truly bad had happened. He would help her get out of here and then she should never return. This was no place for someone like her.

They'd been walking about ten minutes, and already the streets were widening and the sidewalks were cleaner. Brighter streetlamps were set more closely together, and even the occasional group of people could be seen, dressed up and ready for a night of trick-or-treating.

The sight reminded Gajeel that the girl next to him probably also had plans for Halloween. He glanced down at her again. She was still focused on holding her dress.

"What even are ya?" Gajeel asked.

"Huh?" Levy asked, looking up at him, confused.

"Fer Halloween. What's yer costume," he tried again.

"Ohh," Levy said. "It's from a movie. _Mean Girls_? Have you seen it?"

She glanced up at him but his face was blank. Zero recognition.

Levy laughed. "I'll take that as a 'no.' Anyways, it's a pretty fun movie. When I moved here and met Lucy, I'd never heard of it. She said I reminded her of one of the characters, Cady, and when I didn't know what it was, she insisted we watch it together. It was actually one of the first things we ever did! So anyways, with Halloween, we thought it'd be fun to do a joint costume, so I'm going as what Cady wore in the movie – a ghoulish bride – and Lucy is dressed up as Regina's costume – a bunny costume. But she was too nervous to do the whole thing, I don't blame her, so we improvised and she used one of the other outfits that Regina is known for, with a cutout top."

Gajeel blinked. She sure talked a lot. He slowed down some more, feeling safer on these cleaner streets, but remained aware of their surroundings anyway out of habit, and listened to the girl next to him go on about mean girls and a bunny or something.

"So what about you? Are you dressed for Halloween?" Levy found herself asking, looking up at the man who walked beside her. He'd been relatively quiet so far and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

He grunted, finding the question humorous. "Nah, I'm always like this."

"Really?" Levy exclaimed before she could help herself.

Gajeel found himself smiling. No one had ever asked him that before. Most people tried not to talk to him at all.

"What, my eyes don't look real to ya? _These_ don't look real to ya?" He said, turning to brandish his teeth in a big toothy grin right in front of her face.

Levy's eyes widened. They did look exceptionally sharp. And also exceptionally real, much more lifelike than the fake rubber pair she had for her costume, which suggested that they _were_ real. Did he file them to get them that sharp? Levy realized that she had no idea if that was something a person could do and she started pondering dentistry practices as he continued.

"Nah, I was born this way," he said, looking straight ahead.

"A Devil among men," he found himself saying smugly, then realized he'd never said that to anyone before. He glanced down to see her reaction, but she seemed to be deep in thought. Maybe she hadn't heard?

"Well," she finally said. "Your appearance is certainly out of the ordinary, and you fit in quite well on Halloween. But…" she faltered, thinking. "I don't think you're a Devil."

Gajeel frowned down at her. Wasn't it obvious?

"Aren't ya scared of me?" He asked her.

Levy realized that she wasn't and she smiled up at him.

"Not really, no," she said simply, and kept walking.

Sure, he was intimidatingly tall, covered in piercings, had blood-red eyes, had been lurking in a dark alley in the middle of the night, and carried a ridiculously large switchblade on his person…

But, most people were taller than her, she admitted the piercings looked good on him, his eyes had held real concern for her, and his presence in the alley along with his switchblade had helped to save her from a terrifying situation. He hadn't used any of these things to threaten her, in fact he had only helped her, and despite his sometimes rude and frustrating attitude (and, well, the nicknames really did piss her off), but besides that she realized that... she kind of liked him. Her eyes widened fractionally at this revelation.

Gajeel was a bit stunned. She wasn't scared of him? What the fuck? What was wrong with her?

He turned to her with a frown but her eyes suddenly lit up and she pointed excitedly.

"Oh look! Over there! That's the place!"

He realized with a start that they were already on Hawthorne Street, and the girl beside him was eagerly picking up her pace, having spotted the very house she'd been trying to get to all night.

Gajeel looked past her, seeing a large yellow house sitting atop a well-tended lawn. The whole thing was practically bouncing on its foundations, loud heavy bass emanating from inside, and he cringed at the thought of getting any closer to all that ear damage.

But the small girl beside him was surging forward excitedly, her long blue hair streaming behind.

"Look! I think that's Gray out front! Oh thank goodness, I'm so glad I made it!"

She turned back to him, starry-eyed, and exclaimed brightly, "Thank you SO much! I don't know what I would have done without you! You're such a nice guy, I really appreciate it!"

Then she was off again, dragging herself and that dumb dress towards the heaving cesspit of college students having a party ahead and wait…

Did she just call him a _NICE GUY?_

Gajeel was struck by lightning. The carefully constructed image he'd spent years cultivating was crumbling around him and he was suddenly angry. Not just angry, _livid_.

Gajeel wanted to storm forward and show her how much of a _Devil_ he really could be, but she'd somehow gotten quite far ahead of him now, and a blonde girl with bunny ears was practically bouncing over to her.

He gritted his teeth and watched as Levy was pulled into a hug by the Bunny Girl. She was clearly among friends now, so this was his cue to leave. He folded into the shadows effortlessly, glancing back at the house one last time before turning back towards the way they had come.

The anger continued to wash through him. She didn't know anything about him or his life. She had no right to call him that. He reassured himself in knowing that he would never have to see her again, now that she was back in her world and he could go back to his.

But his mind also wandered to the many boys who had been out on that neatly cut lawn and he frowned despite himself. College boys were horny idiots, and he didn't like that she was, in fact, _still_ surrounded by creepy guys. Any one of them could be a bad apple...

He shook his head at himself. No, this was dumb. It was no longer his problem. Shorty could take care of herself. And he scoffed when he realized the hypocrisy of worrying about her and bad apples when he was the most rotten one of all.

He reached his bike quickly, unencumbered by anyone else this time, and snapped his helmet firmly on his head. He swung onto the bike, revving the engine to life, and he sped off into the night, leaving behind nothing but streaks of light and a long forgotten cigarette stamped out in the asphalt.

He narrowed his eyes, the buildings and streetlamps dancing past. _This_ was who he was, here in the darkness, _this_ was where he belonged. He was a Devil. And not even _she_ could claim otherwise.

* * *

Levy rushed up to the house, noting all the college students already smashed or still getting smashed, spread out on the lawn. The place was crawling with people, most she didn't know, but many she did, and she breathed a sigh of relief to be somewhere she felt safe again. But she kinda realized that she hadn't felt unsafe for a while…

"LEVY!" She heard a loud voice shouting her name from up by the door and she excitedly spotted a (very) tipsy Lucy, bounding over her way.

"Levy!" Lucy practically purred, enveloping her in a large hug. "You need to catch up! I've already had like six shots!"

"Woah," Levy said, pulling back from her friend a little concerned.

"Shouldn't you slow down a bit?" She frowned but Lucy only laughed.

"Oh relax! I know my limits, I'm fineeeeee," Lucy slurred.

Levy raised an eyebrow, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"They've been pretty spaced out. Plus, Natsu has had way more," Lucy blushed at the mention of Natsu, which she had brought up herself by the way, and Levy found herself chuckling, Lucy's crush all too apparent.

She suddenly remembered she hadn't yet introduced Lucy to…. What was his name? Levy wracked her brain and realized that it had never come up. How had she forgotten to ask?

"Wait! I totally forgot," she said turning, projecting her voice behind herself.

"My name is Levy! What's your-" she stopped, seeing nothing and no one.

"…-rs?"

The sidewalk behind her was completely empty, as if the large man had never existed.

"Oh," She said, slightly deflated. How had he slipped away so suddenly?

"What?" Lucy asked, peering beyond her friend into the darkness. "What is it Levy? Who are you talking to?"

"Well, it was a guy who helped me get here, but I'm realizing I never got his name."

"Hmm," Lucy squinted skeptically, both at the darkness and at the puzzled expression on Levy's face.

"I feel kind of bad, I didn't even notice him leave…"

"Well was he even there at all?" Lucy quipped, a sparkle in her eye. Levy could tell she was joking, but also not really.

"No, he was real Lucy, he helped me out. Oh god, I got terribly lost! And then my phone died! It was horrible, but this guy came out of nowhere, literally stepped out of the shadows, and offered to walk me back. It's so weird that he just vanished like that though..."

Lucy was looking increasingly skeptical.

"Did you hit your head Levy?" She asked.

"No! I swear! He was real! I saw him!"

"Well maybe he was your guardian angel," Lucy said with a wink.

She continued dramatically, "Oh if only *MY* guardian angel would fall from heaven and rescue me when I'm in danger!"

She brought the back of her hand to her forehead in exaggerated distress, and Levy slapped her arm playfully, both giggling.

"Lucy! It wasn't like that!" Levy retorted through the giggles.

"Okay, well then maybe he was a devil? I mean, it _is_ the all-powerful and spooky All Hallow's Eve. It's past midnight, who _knows_ what kind of ghoulish goblins and ghosts could be lurking about?!" Lucy said, this time bringing her hands up in a creeping gesture, ready to pounce on Levy, but Levy was too busy thinking to notice.

"Well, he did call himself a devil…" she said, thoughtfully.

Lucy paused, quirking a brow.

"Well," she said. "There you have it. I guess it truly is the most magical night of the year! You've got your own personal Devil, Levy! Good thing he didn't stick around to gobble you up!" Lucy brought her hands down on Levy's shoulders, miming an attack while shaking Levy out of her reverie.

"Either way, time to do SHOTS!" Lucy cried, grabbing Levy's wrist and dragging her up the winding path to the front door of the house. With each step, Levy felt the bumping bass pulse through her just a little harder, and any kind of thoughts she had regarding the man who had just walked her back were getting further and further away.

She shook her head, trying to think clearly, but it was impossible with all the bouncing bodies, dressed in all kinds of fantastical outfits.

She started to feel the excitement she had felt earlier that day come back to her. This was _Halloween_. The most anticipated night of the year. It was barely one in the morning, meaning the party would still be going for at least a couple more hours. Levy felt the energy in the house start to course through her veins.

 _Well, I did only just get here_ , she thought. _The party I've been anticipating for weeks. My night has only just started, right?_

Lucy handed her a shot glass, stylized to look like an eyeball, and yelled "Bottoms up!"

 _Well, here goes_ , Levy thought, bringing the edge of the eyeball to her lips.

_But it really does feel like we're romanticizing alcohol right now..._


	2. Halloween 2018

**_Wednesday, October 31_ _st_ _, 2018_ **

**_-Hargeon Town-_ **

"Oh… My... God…. NO. Lucy, _no_! Absolutely not! I cannot possibly!" Levy shrieked, looking inside at the contents of the box that her roommate and best friend had just handed her.

"Levy! Come on, it'll be fun! Come on, _please_?" Lucy begged, trying to convince Levy to agree to the box's cursed contents. Lucy was kneeling on the ground in front of her friend, begging with her hands and sporting the biggest, cutest pout Levy had ever seen.

Levy was aghast. How had this happened?

It was once again almost the best night of the year – the long-awaited All Hallow's Eve.

Levy thought back to everything that had led up to this point. It had been precisely a year since last year's Halloween adventure (obviously) and Levy couldn't believe how simultaneously fast that time had passed but also how fundamentally different she felt.

Her first year of college had been everything she had hoped for. What with the parties, the friends, meeting new people… not to mention how exciting her courses had been. She'd spent all of high school dreaming of college. The endless classes to pick from! Nothing excited Levy more than reading a course description. She swooned at the thought!

Last year's party had been a blast, but Levy had drank way too much and ended up horribly hungover the next day. She could barely focus in any of her classes and no matter how much coffee she consumed the pounding headache just wouldn't go away.

After a year of similar parties and testing her limits, Levy felt a lot more comfortable setting boundaries for herself, and considering this year Halloween was once again on a school night, she wanted to be more cautious.

Obviously she still wanted to go. It was Halloween! And parties with her friends were too fun to turn down. But she'd decided she would drink less this year, and come home at a more reasonable hour.

Between the two girls, the topic of costumes had been brought up months ago, and they'd both agreed that doing a joint costume was the only way to go. But last year had given them the stunning realization that almost no one understood pop culture references. The two girls had spent almost the entire night trying to explain how their costumes were related. Eventually they'd just given up.

So this year, they agreed they should do something more obvious. But then, beyond that, they couldn't seem to agree on the specifics. They liked each other's ideas of course, but they just couldn't nail anything in particular down.

And then, one day, they had made a bet. It was a dumb bet, about who would do better on an English essay for their Lit class. It was meant to be all in good fun, but somehow it had spiraled out of control, especially when it was decided that the winner of the bet would get to choose this year's costumes. No questions asked.

Levy had only agreed because she'd been confident she would win. She was an all-star student, straight A's baby! But as it turned out, Lucy really was a gifted writer, and she scored higher, winning not only that delicious _A+_ , but also the right to choose their costumes.

The loss devastated Levy. Not only had she performed poorly in class ( _she had still gotten an A, but that was beside the point!_ ), she had _also_ lost any say in what they wore! Of course, she trusted her friend to make a good choice, she and Lucy often agreed on most things, but the bet had entailed _no questions asked_. Anything goes!

Due to Levy's academic failure ( _once again, take note it was still an A_ ), she was planning to come back early tonight and study. She figured that if Lucy somehow _did_ pick something crazy, at least she wouldn't be wearing it for long. She was just going to go say 'Hi,' have a couple Jell-O shots ( _too delicious to pass up_ ), and skip back home to read.

But _this!?_ This was insane. How could she agree to this?!

Levy looked from the contents of the box to Lucy, then back to the box, then back to Lucy.

"I mean…," Levy rubbed her temples, exasperated. "Ugh…."

"Please? Please please please? It was a bet! No take-backsies! Plus, I really want to wear mine. It'd be super weird if we weren't both wearing them, and…" Lucy trailed off, sheepishly looking away.

Levy raised an eyebrow.

"And you want to impress a certain _someone,_ right?" Levy continued for her and Lucy nodded like a scolded child, refusing to meet Levy's eyes.

"Ugh FINE!" Levy groaned, falling back onto her bed with an arm over her eyes. It looked like she wouldn't be doing any skipping _tonight!_

"BUT just because Cana said you looked _smoking hot_ in heels when we tried them on at the mall two months ago DOESN'T mean Natsu will notice! He's so thickheaded! Honestly, you've been crushing hard since the very beginning, and it's like _zero progress_ has been made!"

"Levy!" Lucy exclaimed. "Don't say that, there's been some! Uh... we _do_ talk every day and uh..." Lucy rubbed the back of her head, pretending to brainstorm and Levy just lifted her head, glaring at her friend.

Lucy stuck her tongue out and winked at her, and Levy groaned, falling back again to the soft seduction of her mattress. Lucy might be looking for romance, but that was the last thing on her mind….

A mental image of a certain red-eyed Devil flitted through her head, but she was convinced it only appeared because they were discussing Halloween.

After that night a year ago, and after they had sobered up, Levy had told Lucy everything.

They had been sitting on the floor of their room in a pillow fort they'd made, telling ghost stories. Levy had tried to recall every tiny detail, but Lucy had still looked quite skeptical. She had finally agreed that he probably was a real person and not an actual Devil, but she wasn't convinced that it meant anything more than that.

"He was just a nice guy, Levy, who helped you out. Honestly, I'm really sorry you were lost to begin with," Lucy had said, reaching out with one hand to touch Levy's knee, a cup of hot tea in the other.

Levy didn't know if it was because they'd discussed it while talking about scary stories, or if it was simply due to the passage of time, but the more she thought back to that night, the more it felt like a figment of her imagination. Maybe she was letting her books get to her again…

She shook her head, coming back to the present, and her eyes landed on the box in her lap with the pair of insanely white, bedazzled high heels inside.

Lucy had decided that Levy would be an Angel, and she herself would be a Demon. A classic pairing, throughout both time and literature. Levy actually liked the idea, and she didn't even mind that Lucy had made herself the demon and Levy the angel. She knew that Natsu's eye would be caught by anything to do with red and flames, so it was the natural choice if her friend wanted to get his attention. And Levy liked to consider herself pure of heart, even if that was a little cheesy to say out loud.

What she _didn't_ like was the heels that Lucy had picked out. Dumb Cana had planted the idea in Lucy's head months ago that heels were attractive and sexy, and that wearing them around Natsu would make his eyes bulge out of his head like in a cartoon.

And sure, that was fine and all, as long as Levy herself didn't have to get involved. But she should have known Lucy would want to wear heels with the costume! And Levy did acknowledge that Lucy would look odd if she, the taller of the two, wore six inch stilettos while Levy, naturally shorter, was in flats.

Now that she thought about it, that'd be especially weird given that symbolically, Angels lived amongst the clouds, and Demons dwelled in the depths...

Yeah, she got it. Reluctantly, she got it. She just… didn't want to wear heels.

"Levy just think how tall they'll make you!"

Levy shot Lucy a pointed look, and Lucy rolled her eyes while giggling.

"Yeah, yeah, you aren't short, most other people are just ridiculously tall," Lucy giggled.

"But I mean come on, they'll probably look great on you," Lucy winked.

Levy did admit, it seemed kind of daring, especially for her.

Well then that was an interesting thought too, an Angel being a daredevil? Levy stared at the shoes in her lap, admitting that a part of her was excited to try them on.

"Well, I'll give it a try, Lu-chan, alright? But only because you're right, it's only fair, a bet is a bet."

"Yes!" Lucy exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air. "Tonight is going to be so much fun!"

"Yeah…" Levy trailed. "Tonight will certainly be… interesting."

* * *

Gajeel stood like a stone statue, arms folded, motionless. He stared straight ahead, not focusing on any one point in particular, but despite his seemingly bored expression his senses were all on high alert.

Before him, a bunker-like room stretched into the darkness, the far walls hard to pinpoint. The cement structure created a suffocating feeling, especially for Gajeel whose exceptional height meant that his head almost scraped the ceiling. He pushed the claustrophobia down though, focusing instead on the men before him and the job at hand.

"We had a deal," a silky voice purred, the sound echoing eerily into the far-off corners of the room.

"There must have been a mis-," a voice tried saying, but the silky smooth talker in the crushed velvet suit jacket swiftly thrust his hand upward, practically chopping through the words as they drifted through the air.

There was a controlled viciousness in the motion, and the man who'd been cut off swallowed hard. He then glanced at the only other two people in the room: A man in corduroys who sat heavily on a stool with his eyes pointed downward, and the scary one standing against the wall, whose red eyes elusively watched the scene.

He winced, and felt a drop of sweat drip down from under his brown baseball cap. He had to keep himself from taking the cap off and wiping at his brow.

"There was no mistake," the smooth voice purred once again, and the man blinked rapidly.

"I'm almost thinking you expected you'd get away with this," the voice continued, it's owner smiling slightly.

"N-no, Master José," the man stumbled over his words, and now he did pull off his baseball cap, holding it in front of himself timidly.

"It really was a mistake. I don't know how this happened."

"Pathetic," José said, glaring at the man. José was in fact shorter than the desperate man wringing his hat, but he still tilted his head back to glare at him from down his nose.

"Do you know what the deal was?" He asked, almost hoping that the man would get it wrong.

"The, uhm, the deal… was that…," the man wasn't looking at him, _couldn't_ look at him.

"Yes?" José questioned, waiting.

"The deal was that, we do the job, and get the profits to you, and in return, you... protect… us…," he trailed off, wetting his lips, throat suddenly dry.

"Yesss," José drawled, letting the word hang in the air. He leaned forward, resting both hands on the low metal table that stood between them. The only light in the room came from a wide-brimmed lamp that hung over that table, and it cast its light on some papers spread out below.

"Yes, that's right," José continued. "Basically, you make sure the money gets to me, and in return I make sure no one fucks you up. And let's see, who would fuck you up? Any ideas?"

José looked around the room to each man in turn.

"Any ideas?" he asked again. "Redfox, you're awfully quiet over there. I believe you might be scaring our guests. Any ideas who might fuck these two up?"

Gajeel met his eyes but said nothing, and José smiled back.

"Well let's see," he said, unperturbed by the lack of responses.

He held up a fat finger.

"One: Protection from Fairy Tail, may they rot in Hell."

He held up a second finger.

"Two: Protection from Sabertooth, those so-called 'protectors of the people,' who can barely even protect themselves." He chuckled at himself, and held up a third and final finger.

"Oh and let's see, one more, one more… Oh that's right. Protection from _ME_."

He slammed his hand down on the table and the smile was gone, replaced with a scowl so fierce, Gajeel found himself looking away. He stared at the shadows, letting his eyes unfocus.

"So where the _FUCK_ is my _MONEY?_ " José screamed.

The man with the brown hat instantly dropped to his knees, holding his hands up to beg.

"Master José, please reconsider. This was a mistake! An honest mistake. I have no idea how this happened, someone must have been cooking the books, please, allow me to look again. I'll fix it! I'll-!"

"Oh stop your blathering, you idiot," José snarled, eyes ablaze. "It's too late for you and that pathetic slug you call your partner," he said, gesturing at the man in corduroys, who was completely shrunken in fear, flinching at the echoes reverberating through the room.

Gajeel paid only half attention, allowing his mind to wander as it always did whenever he found himself in these meetings. It was the best way to get through them. Stay silent, stay to the side, don't be noticed. Don't get involved. Don't watch too closely. It'd be over soon.

José was out many hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more. Gajeel didn't know the specifics, but he knew that these two men were the ones most recently in charge of the Hargeon operation, and somehow they'd been siphoning money out the side. Secrets like this didn't stay hidden for long, and José had heard about it, prompting the visit down South. The fact that he had come himself was bad news for the men.

These two unfortunate souls wouldn't live to see sunrise, Gajeel knew, and while he couldn't say he believed they deserved to die for this, he had no sway in the decision. It wasn't up to him, it was up to José, and no one ever questioned the man. Unless they wanted to die, too.

He could tell from the desperation and despair on both men's faces that they knew their fates as well, but there was nothing he or anyone could do about it, so he just stood there as José continued to yell.

The assault, at some points turning physical, lasted about ten more minutes, after which José finally seemed to be calming down. He breathed heavily, patting at the crushed velvet of his suit jacket, wrinkling his nose when he spotted a drop of blood on his cuff.

The man with the brown hat was barely conscious now, blood smeared across his cheek, and the man in corduroys had a sizeable lump forming on his head.

"Redfox," José snapped, bringing Gajeel to attention. "Take them outside. Boze will finish them off."

Gajeel grunted, moving forward to grab each man by the scruff of their neck and lifting them with ease. José sat down as Gajeel left the room, semi-conscious men in tow, and let out a contented sigh. Meetings like these always made him feel so much calmer. He smiled to himself.

* * *

"Oh my god Lucy, how do you _walk_ in these? This is so hard!" Levy cried, lurching about their room. She had just undergone the strenuous process of sitting down, sliding the heels on, fastening the clasps securely, and then shuffling back up to a standing position as carefully as possible. Now, she was hunched awkwardly, and she imagined she looked like a long-legged bird, learning to walk for the first time. Maybe like a flamingo, or a stork…

Lucy just laughed and walked over to her, though clearly not a natural yet herself.

"We just need practice. Here, hold my hand, let's take laps around the house."

Levy grabbed on to her best friend's hand and allowed her to slowly be led out their door and into the hallway. At that moment, Lisanna was leaving her own room and her eyes opened wide.

"Oh!" she said, startled by the pair crawling down the hallway. "Well you're certainly trying!"

Levy looked back at her, a pained expression on her face, and Lisanna giggled behind one hand.

They somehow made it down the stairs, relying heavily on the banister for support, and Levy squeaked uncertainly when the heels made contact with the hardwood of the hallway, an altogether different beast from the carpet they had previously been on.

They managed to make their way down the hall and into the living room, causing several of the girls who were studying there to look up and watch curiously. Some cat calls and whistles followed them as they moved to the kitchen, and Levy felt her face heating up.

Cana was sitting at a barstool, already drinking a mixed drink, and she surveyed them with amusement. Her mild grin stretched further across her face as a shout came from the living room, "Woah Levy! Your ass looks _amazing_ right now!"

Levy's face erupted, and the girls started cackling. Levy could feel Lucy laughing too, and she turned to her, aghast.

"Lu-chan, the more you laugh, the more you have betrayed me," she said darkly, her face bright.

Lucy just cracked up more, unable to stifle her laughter.

"I'm sorry, Levy! But the thing is, they're not wrong!"

Levy didn't know how it was possible, but her entire head seemed to be magically transforming into an actual tomato.

"This is modern-day foot binding!" she found herself yelling. "This is torture! THIS SHOULDN'T BE LEGAL!"

Her shouts did nothing to stifle the laughter around her, which instead only seemed to grow louder.

 _Those witches,_ Levy thought darkly, a sharp glare marring her pretty, though quite flushed, features. _May they fall off their broomsticks and all their potions perish!_

* * *

Gajeel splashed water onto his face from the sink faucet, letting it run down his chin. He wiped away the bile from the side of his mouth and glared at himself in the mirror.

He'd delivered the two men to Boze outside, and left before anything else had happened, but he'd still heard the gunshots reverberating down the hallway and he'd promptly gone to the bathroom and thrown his guts up into the toilet.

He growled at himself, pissed off by this. He wouldn't be able to survive if he kept being weak, and he stared himself down in the mirror, swearing he would never let it happen again.

Gajeel lived by a set of three rules. He'd established them from a young age and they'd kept him alive so far, despite his difficult childhood and then being initiated into Phantom Lord before he was even old enough to know what consent was.

_Never show weakness._

The first rule was simple enough, and it was the most important one when dealing with José. Gajeel was steel, no _iron_. He was solid, and never let a single thing show. He could never let José see him throwing up like this, and he knew he'd need to get back to the man soon. Any longer and José would be asking questions, something he'd much rather avoid.

At least he didn't have to pull the trigger… this time. He wasn't an idiot, and he didn't try to deceive himself. He knew Boze wouldn't always be there to finish the job and he knew that if it came down to it, he'd pick his own life over whoever José was ordering him to kill. After all, refusing to follow through with an order was a death sentence itself.

Sure, those two fools were being selfish and short-sighted when they stole from José. But Gajeel knew that there had been only two demons in that room, and it wasn't the two men.

He cursed himself once more, wiping his hands on a paper towel and tossing it into the bin, but he didn't need to curse himself, he was already cursed, and he'd accepted that long ago.

_Never show weakness._

He wouldn't. This would never happen again. He set his face to be an expressionless iron cast, his signature look, and quickly strode back down the hallway towards the bunker where he'd left Master José.

* * *

Levy and Lucy held on to each other's arms as they traipsed their way through the autumnal leaves which once again blanketed the sidewalk thickly.

Levy was giggling about something Lucy had just told her, and she could feel herself getting swept up once more in the brimming excitement that always proceeded a party amongst friends. This year's big Halloween Bash would be at the same house, it was the go-to party destination, and Levy was happy that this year she was getting there on time, and also knew the route there like the back of her hand.

Additionally, she was increasingly more comfortable walking in the heels Lucy had picked out for her. The two girls still held onto each other's arms, but if needed they could walk independently of the other, a feat that had taken most of the afternoon to master, but which left Levy feeling rather satisfied.

Dare she admit, she almost felt sexy? The thought flustered her, since she didn't consider herself to be sexy the majority of the time, especially compared to most of the girls she was friends with. She didn't blame them for this, it wasn't their fault that a large bust wasn't in her genepool, but she found herself wishing that she could stand out a bit more next to them. So often she just felt like… a child. She didn't want to admit it to Lucy, but the heels and the added height they gave her really did make her feel more mature.

Soon the house came into view and Levy shivered in her costume. It was a mid-thigh dress, shimmery white, and with white feathers in abundance along the neckline and hem. Her long hair was pulled up and braided around a white circlet, reminiscent of an angel's halo, and a pair of small white feathered wings were strapped to her back. It was definitely a stereotypical costume, but at least it was obvious what she was supposed to be. She glanced down at the feathers bouncing on her chest. And maybe the extra plumage would help her look a little more… well-endowed maybe?

She shook her head.

 _Either way,_ she thought, nodding to herself. _This will be fine. I look great, Lucy looks great, Natsu will notice for sure, and maybe… maybe I'll find someone too?_

After all, these parties were popular, and had a constant stream of people coming and going.

 _Or maybe not_ , she backtracked, biting her lip. _In the end, who cares, right? My books, at least, will always be there for me. Getting home to study is priority numero uno. But as long as I'm here, maybe I can still have a little fun…?_

She allowed herself to be swept into the house with the group, only the slightest hint of nerves resting in her stomach. She was certainly ready for that first Jell-O shot and whatever dash of Halloween magic that was bound to follow.

* * *

Tonight was a _disaster_.

Levy tried prying two groping bodies apart to get to the stairs. She was frustrated beyond belief, her feet were killing her, and she was not drunk enough to be there. She finally made her way through the human make-out mosh pit and thumped down the stairs aggressively. With one final push, she was out the front door and into fresh air. She breathed in deeply, enjoying the cool breeze on her flushed cheeks.

She checked the time on her phone and noticed it was just past midnight.

 _Fuck,_ Levy thought to herself.

It was much too late to drink more. She knew if she even tried, it would ruin all her careful plans to study and go to class tomorrow.

 _Might as well leave,_ she thought, glumly making her way down the path, hugging her arms.

"Levy, wait!" a desperate voice cried, and the sound ignited anger within her.

She whipped around to see a ginger head running towards her, quickly scrambling around a stumbling couple, and stopping right before her hostile gaze. She knew that another dark-haired head would be close behind and she rolled her eyes, exasperated.

"Levy, wait, I'm sorry!" Jet cried, moving his hands up in a placating gesture.

"Oh, you're _sorry_? Sorry that you kept ruining, on purpose I highly suspect, _every single_ connection I tried to make tonight?!"

Jet bowed his head and sure enough Droy ran up to join them, looking back and forth between a furious Levy and a regretful Jet, panting slightly.

"Look Levy," Droy started, "We just wanted you to have a good night. We all just wanted to have fun tonight! Is that so wrong?"

Levy turned her smoldering glare on Droy and he looked away, unable to meet her eyes.

Levy breathed heavily through her nostrils, trying to calm down.

"I know, I understand," she said, looking away while both boys looked at her.

"I love you guys too, but I need my space, okay? We hang out all the time at school, and often outside of school too. If I tell you to back off, why can't you do as I ask?"

Levy stared stubbornly at a bush beside the front door, past their questing looks, and felt her eyes prickle.

_Dammit, Levy, don't cry now!_

She was just so frustrated. She loved them like brothers, and she loved to spend time with them, but why couldn't they understand that they were smothering any and all precious opportunities she had at making a love connection? Why couldn't Levy, for once, know what it was like to date? To kiss? She'd never once been kissed, always thinking she'd save it for the right guy, but now quite frankly she didn't care, she just wanted to kiss someone! She wanted to enjoy her youth! Make out with strangers! God, why was she even dressed like an Angel, when right now all she wanted was to be anything but?!

Jet stared at Levy's pouting face, frustration evident in his own.

He knew he was sabotaging Levy's attempts at connecting with other boys, but why couldn't she see that he was the right one for her, not them? He'd always been there, through thick and thin, and now some random stranger - who knows where that guy's mouth has been! – got to kiss her first?

Fuck that! It made him angry beyond belief and he felt all the more justified in ruining Levy's attempts to throw herself at the first available guy.

Plus, couldn't she see how much it hurt for her to say she 'loved them' but then didn't follow through? What did that even mean?! Why couldn't she mean that romantically? Because for him, it was a no-brainer. Levy was _the one_ , and fuck him if he ever thought otherwise. Also, those damn heels were driving him crazy. She looked sexier than hell tonight and he didn't like anyone else seeing her like that. He could hardly take his eyes off her the whole night, and any time she had tried to dance with another guy he had swiftly intervened, much to her displeasure.

He knew that Droy was thinking all the same things, but he was fairly certain they had agreed a long time ago that if one of them got Levy, it would be Jet. It was only fair. He'd been there first. He deserved it the most.

"Woah, who killed a cat here?" Cana asked, stumbling up to the trio and immediately sensing the distraught air. She looked between all three parties, and noted that none of them were willing to make eye contact with each other. She sighed.

"Cana, can you please tell Lucy that I decided to walk home?" Levy snapped, still staring at the bush.

"Levy I'll walk you home–!"

"No Levy, let me come, I'm sorry-!"

Both boys tried talking at once, but Cana simply moved behind them, draping an arm over each of their shoulders as all three watched Levy huff and spin around, strutting down the path and onto the sidewalk, heading towards home.

"Leave her be, boys. You know what you did," Cana said simply.

Jet's glare darkened as he watched Levy sashay away, more beautiful than ever. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He shrugged Cana's arm off aggressively and strutted back inside the house. Droy watched Levy sorrowfully until she was out of sight, then exchanged a brief glance with Cana before following after Jet.

Cana simply stood, sipping her drink, watching Droy's back disappear through the doorway. She hoped the boys wouldn't follow Levy. It was obvious the girl needed some space.

* * *

Gajeel leaned on the handlebars of his bike. It was parked and he'd shut the engine off, but he still straddled it while watching the men before him. They were plenty far away, far enough that he couldn't quite hear anything they might be talking about. He simply eyed them as they worked, moving a shipment from the truck into the adjacent building.

José had asked him to stay in Hargeon and keep an eye on the new leadership team. Said team was obviously extremely aware of what had happened to their predecessors, and they skittered around like ants, trying to avoid eye contact at all costs.

Gajeel grunted, not blaming them. He remembered José's words, when he had escorted him back to the train station.

José had held a handkerchief to his nose, as if the smell of the city was too much for him to handle.

"Ugh," he'd complained, dabbing a sweet smelling perfume onto the handkerchief and then reapplying it to his nose.

"This place is disgusting, is it not? The smell of the harbor being so close, it just smells rancid. I bet the stench will settle onto my expensive suit jacket – _tsk_. I've already wasted enough money on this town, I hope to never come back."

They had been riding in his car, headed towards the station, and Gajeel was simply there as a bodyguard. Thus, he hadn't been required to answer. He had focused on the way the car moved and watched out the windows for anything suspicious.

José had smiled, pleased with himself. He would never admit it, but Gajeel was quickly becoming one of his best men. The boy knew how to turn off emotions so well, and he followed orders so obediently. It was truly impressive.

"Gajeel, I will require you to stay and make sure the new leaders of this pathetic operation are following my orders to the letter. Watch them from afar for a while. Maybe cruise through the town a bit, get a feel for it. I want to know what's what in this pitiful place."

"Understood," Gajeel had grunted.

"I have always despised Hargeon – as you know–," José had continued, but Gajeel was still watching out the window, listening to the rantings of the Master with only half an ear.

"–it's truly a swine pit, mixed with salt water. But I suppose, what with there being a University here, there might be a market amongst the students. Hmm, certainly something to consider. Hopefully now that we've reestablished leadership, the distribution of _goods_ and _profit_ won't be so poorly managed. I will say though, they don't have a single good club or bar here! It's all just riff raff I tell you, truly, and the women might as well be _dogs_ for all I can tell-,"

Gajeel had watched as the streets hedged away to beautiful rolling landscapes. The train station was a bit of a drive outside the town proper, and out here you could see more of the surrounding countryside. The hills gave way to each other in a patchwork of greens and goldens, with the occasional lake or stand of trees.

When they reached the train station, José had reduced to a slow drawl, content to be out of Hargeon and back on track to his opulent suite in Magnolia City. He had climbed aboard the luxury train car, helped by a struggling porter, and Gajeel had stood watching, hands in his pockets.

José had panted slightly at top of the stairs to his car, his considerable girth heaving at the effort of carrying itself. When he'd caught his breath, he turned his nose up and looked down at Gajeel.

"You are no longer needed. You may take the car back to your bike, and you will do as I have ordered. I expect you back no later than 8 AM tomorrow. That will be all."

And then he had turned into his pocket of comfort, like a small animal burrowing into its nest. But Gajeel knew José Porla was no small, cute animal. He'd turned on his heel and hopped back in the car, already looking out the windows at the countryside again. The horizon had once held a promise for him. A promise of freedom, a new life, if only he could get there.

Now it felt like a prison, caging him in. He'd never be able to see beyond those hills. The distances were too great…

Gajeel shook his head, pulling himself from the memory, and started the engine of his bike. He noticed that some of the men in the distance had heard, but they were trying to pretend they hadn't. He snorted, and kicked off, swerving to the left and taking the road that would lead him back towards the town center. He would do as José asked, and drive around a bit. He wasn't usually one for sightseeing, but he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to enjoy some time on his bike.

* * *

The street had been separated into two one-way lanes, with a row of large maple trees running down the middle. Gajeel sped along on his bike, enjoying the rush of wind against his face, trying to ignore the boisterous partying around him. Clearly he'd made his way into an area where the college kids frequented and once again he was reminded of the fact it was Halloween by the ridiculous costumes they were wearing.

The road itself and the fact is was Halloween had him thinking back to a year ago, and a certain bluenette he'd had the unfortunate luck of meeting. He had tried not to think of her much after the encounter, but she and her blue hair still popped into his mind occasionally and that frustrated him.

She'd called him a ' _nice guy'_ which he very much wasn't and if that ever got back to José he'd be a dead man.

It was dark, certainly past midnight, and the houses blurred as he rushed past. Maybe it was best he leave this part of town.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out on the lawn of one of the houses up ahead and he was forced to come to a stop as the fight spilled out into the road, blocking his path. It was a full brawl, but from the distance he was at it was hard for Gajeel to tell who was mad at whom. The fight had an entourage that spilled further into the street to gawk, encourage, and shout angrily.

Gejeel was watching the fight when he realized he recognized the house it had come out of. It was a huge yellow house, with music that was far too loud for anyone to enjoy. He swiftly turned his bike around, since the way was now blocked, and figured he'd just cut off to the nearest side street. Anything to get out of this area and away from that house. He didn't particularly want to run into _her_ again, she had put him on edge and he'd rather not relive those memories.

As soon as he came across the nearest turnoff he sped around the corner, anxious to get away. He was so busy scowling at his own handlebars, it took a minute for him to realize he'd just driven past something starkly white on the side of the road, so by the time his brain had processed it he'd already driven a good fifty feet.

He pulled up sharply, and looked back over his shoulder, squinting into the darkness. Was that…? Something white was hunched on the sidewalk, amongst the leaves. He kept squinting, the white shifted, and suddenly he spotted a familiar shade of blue.

_Fuck._

* * *

Levy was sitting on the ground, her dress getting dirty, and staring angrily at the newest object of her ire: her right high heel shoe. She had been in such a huff when she left, and so overly confident in her newfound heel abilities, she'd walked a little _too_ fast and had maybe failed to see a root that split the sidewalk, hidden by the leaves.

Her treacherous shoe had caught the root and down she went, a disastrous swirl of feathers and leaves, and she'd felt a sharp pain in her right ankle.

She immediately took the shoe off to assess the damage, wincing at the pain, but it was definitely at least sprained. Whenever she tried standing and putting weight on it, it was too painful to bear, and she ended up sprawled back on the sidewalk.

She wasn't sure how she was going to get home now. She had been so careful not to drink, and to leave early too! She was beyond frustrated and this felt like the last straw. It was almost laughable.

"Gihihi!" an arrogant laugh broke the silence and Levy froze.

_Wait, was that…?_

She looked up and sure enough a tall, raven-haired man, with bright red eyes and shining piercings, was walking directly from the darkness in front of her. When he was only a couple of feet away he crouched down to her eye level, snickering to himself.

"Found yerself in a bit of a pickle again, huh Shorty?" He asked, and something about his whole demeanor ruffled Levy's feathers, so to speak. It might have also been the wind.

"Where the hell did you come from?" She asked with a frown, looking beyond him into the darkness.

"Oh I was… around…" he said suspiciously, and Levy raised an eyebrow at him.

As soon as Gajeel had parked his bike and walked back a bit, he could tell she was hurt. The way she was hunched on the sidewalk, getting her pretty white dress dirty in the mud but not moving… something just felt wrong.

He had stood there in the shadows for a minute, trying to decide what to do. He wasn't necessarily inclined to get involved with her again, seeing as how she'd formed an altogether twisted opnion of him last time, but he couldn't help staring as he watched her there.

The moon had poked out behind a thick cloud, and a beam of moonlight had fallen upon the girl, illuminating her white costume against the dark ground around her. She was a blinding droplet of light in a sea of shifting shadows, and at that moment she looked like an Angel that had fallen from Heaven. Gajeel had found himself just staring at her for several seconds, his breath taken away by how _beautiful_ she looked. Nothing like how he'd first seen her, caked in make-up and drowning in fabric.

She was just sitting there, shoulders hunched, innocently unaware of her surroundings and he had growled sharply, both at his own thoughts and at the situation.

 _Tsk,_ he thought. _How the fuck did this girl keep getting in trouble on Halloween?_

His brain was telling him not to get involved, just leave before she saw him, but he'd walked forward anyways, adopting an air of arrogance. At the very least, he wouldn't let her see how she affected him. He'd simply check to see if she was okay, then escape back into the night.

"Why do ya keep ending up alone in the dark, Shorty?" He asked, meeting her eyes with his red ones, and Levy felt a shiver run down her spine. He was certainly… intense.

"I didn't get lost this time, I'll have you know," she snapped, looking away from those blood-red eyes. "I know exactly where I am, and how to get home. I just… am struggling to get there."

And she looked down at her right foot.

Gajeel followed her gaze, taking in the insane shoes and her increasingly swollen ankle. He figured she wasn't able to put weight on it. From this angle, her legs looked long and creamy as they stretched out on the ground in front of her. That dress of hers barely covered anything at all.

He glanced back up to her face and the light was playing tricks on his brain again, giving her an angelic glow.

He growled, at himself, but Levy frowned thinking it had been aimed at her.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't ask for your help. You can be on your merry way, I can figure this out myself."

"And how do ya expect to do that?" He asked, frowning.

"Easy, my friends will be coming back this way after the party and they can help me on the way."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Ya mean… yer drunk friends? Who'll barely be carryin' themselves? Who probably won't roll through here fer another…" he glanced at his watch, seeing that it was only fifteen minutes past midnight.

"Another two or three hours?"

Levy frowned and looked away.

"It's certainly possible someone will come much sooner. And until then, I can maybe, I dunno, crawl."

"Crawl." Gajeel said flatly, staring at her.

"Uhm, yes," she muttered, unwilling to meet his gaze.

Gajeel started chuckling again and began to stand up.

"How 'bout this," he said, looking down at her from what she couldn't believe was even higher heights.

"I can give ya a ride back to yer place. It probably ain't too far, right? Then you'll be home, and yer friends can help ya get some medical help or somethin' tomorrow, if ya want. Yer ankle doesn't look too bad, ya just shouldn't put weight on it fer a day or two."

Levy blinked at him.

"Excuse me, are you a doctor?" she asked, smirking. Surely he didn't know what was best for her, simply from glancing at it.

"I'm whatever I need ta be, Shrimp," came his reply, throwing her for a loop. She hesitated.

"You said you could give me a ride…?" She asked, looking around for his car. "Did you park near here?"

She looked up at him with her doe-like eyes, bigger than ever.

"I'm just down the street, 'bout fifty feet," he replied, pointing over his shoulder, and already she was gawking.

" _Fifty feet?_ Well how am I going to get there? Here, maybe you can help me find a stick or something? Makeshift crutch? Just to help me out a little. I'm sure I can manage with a bit of support, there has to be something around here somewhere..."

Gajeel laughed again, then reached down and pulled her up into his arms before she had a chance to react. With wide eyes, Levy found herself being carried, bridal style, completely flabbergasted. She didn't even know this guy! What was he doing!

"Wh- what? Uhm, exCUSE ME!?" Levy cried, slapping his chest to get him to stop, but it was like hitting a rock wall and he didn't even pause, just kept sauntering along as if he _wasn't_ carrying another human being. Levy began to blush.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! I didn't ask to be carried! Especially not by you! Especially not like this!"

Gajeel paused briefly and looked down at the angel in his arms. She was barely lighter than a feather, and he gave her a peculiar look. She felt her cheeks grow warmer.

"How else are ya supposed ta get there? It's too far ta walk, this is the best way."

"Uhm no! I could have walked! I can still walk! Just help me find a crutch!" Levy cried, embarrassed to be in this compromising situation, nestled in his arms.

Gajeel snorted, "Ya mean a _stick_? Yeah no, that ain't gonna work. This's obviously the best way. Just sit yerself back and enjoy the ride, Shorty."

And with that he grinned and kept walking, with Levy growing impossibly more red by the second. She barely knew him, and she was getting increasingly sick of the nicknames.

"Levy." She said firmly.

"Huh?" he glanced down, a question on his face.

"My name. My name is Levy. Not _'Shorty'_ or _'Shrimp'_ any of those other ridiculous names. It's Levy."

He didn't say anything back right away.

"I'm not..." he started. "I'm not good with names. I stick ta nicknames."

Levy frowned, "but that's hardly the way to get to know a person. You can't just start calling people by random nicknames, without even being properly introduced."

Gajeel didn't say anything. He didn't feel like mentioning that he never _met_ anyone new, so it was never a problem. And anyone he did meet, they certainly weren't going to be a friend. He wasn't sure why he'd even told her that, about his preference for nicknames.

He could feel Levy still looking at him though, so he glanced down again with an air of slight irritation.

"What now?" He asked, and Levy looked back at him like he was stupid.

"I told you my name, what's yours?"

Again, silence. Levy pouted. This man was awfully secretive.

"Gajeel," he grunted, instantly regretting it. He should've told her his last name, or his Ring name. Why was he giving his real name out to the first girl that asked? Why did he keep telling her things best left unsaid?

Luckily, they were already back at his bike and he started to set Levy down on it, but she instantly shrieked and reached up around his neck, clinging to his chest with new vigor.

Gajeel froze, eyes wide.

" _What?_ " He grumbled, shocked by this sudden move. "It's my ride, ya can sit behind me, and I'll drive ya back. What's the matter?"

He craned his head down to look at her, but she had buried her face in his chest. His arms still held her close, and he noticed how hot her hands were on his neck. He cleared his throat, but the girl didn't seem responsive at all. What was she so terrified of?

"Levy? What's goin' on?" He asked, and he felt her flinch against him.

 _Fuck, did I say something wrong?_ He wondered, but she moved back from him slightly, enough to catch his eyes with her own. She looked a little surprised.

"Hey, you called me by my name," she mumbled and he just stared back at her, dumbfounded.

Then he growled, frustrated. "Well _yeah,_ ya just told it ta me!"

He had no idea what was going on and wait- were those tears forming in the corners of her eyes?! He was _not_ equipped to handle this!

"Shit, Levy, are ya cryin'? Is it yer ankle?" He glanced at her foot but was sure he hadn't inadvertently knocked it into anything.

"Am I? Why…?" she asked, tentatively removing one hand from around his neck to rub at her eyes.

He kind of missed the warmth as soon as it was gone.

But instead he just glared at her, "Yer the one cryin', how should _I_ know?"

Levy shook her head and breathed deeply.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking back up at him and the obvious confusion on his face. "I just, uhm, I'm sorry, I just _really_ don't want to ride on a motorcycle. Can we do anything else?"

Gajeel looked down at the girl in his arms, the one causing him so much trouble, and sighed.

"Yeah, I mean… I can carry ya like this all the way back I guess."

Levy's eyes widened, as if she had forgotten she was still being held by him, and she also suddenly realized how tightly she was holding onto his neck. She jerked back, causing Gajeel to yelp and surge forward in order to keep her from falling from his arms.

"Fuck!" he cried, "Quit yer squirmin'!"

But Levy was too caught up in her own mortification to notice the man's swearing.

"Ohmygod!" She stuttered, withdrawing into herself. "God, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to grab onto you like that!"

Gajeel scoffed.

"It's fine," he grunted, expression dark. He wasn't about to mention that he had kind of enjoyed it.

"Just don't go jerkin' around like that again or I'm gonna drop ya."

Levy nodded, letting herself lean back slightly into his arms as he walked away from his bike and towards the sidewalk.

"K Shorty, where to," he asked, and Levy felt a hint of déjà vu.

"That way," she said, pointing in the opposite direction of where they'd come, and Gajeel set out, walking with long, swift strides.

He had enjoyed when she was holding onto him, pressing herself into his body, her hands around his neck, but he could tell from the way she was tense in his arms that it would be a bad time to tease her about it. He really didn't want to accidentally drop her and fuck up her ankle more.

He wasn't sure what to make of her. One minute, she was refusing to let him carry her, the next she was clinging to him like her life depended on it. And maybe, when it came to motorcycles, it did? He looked down at her again, wondering why she'd been so terrified.

_Who hurt ya, Shorty?_

Gajeel had been walking maybe a minute or so when he felt the first raindrop.

" _Fuck,_ " he swore under his breath.

Levy, who had been awfully quiet, opened her eyes and looked upwards.

"Is that rain?" she asked.

"Yes," he gritted his teeth, feeling the drops coming down faster and faster.

Soon, a steady shower surrounded them, drenching his hair and making it stick to the sides of his face. He hunched over Levy slightly in an effort to keep her dry, but he could tell she was getting just as wet as he was anyways. He picked up his pace.

Levy sighed. She was actually finding the rain quite soothing. It felt good against her swollen ankle and her flushed cheeks. Levy let herself relax against Gajeel, closing her eyes as she leaned her head against his chest and settled in to the reality of her current situation. This was alright, she could deal with this. She was being carried by a man she barely knew, with an ankle she couldn't walk on, in the pouring rain... Oh, and she was leading him to her house. Perfect.

She breathed in deeply, the smell of the rain welcome, and it mingled with... it suddenly dawned on her that she was smelling _him_. He smelled kind of like warm leather, almost... spicy? Was that a way to describe someone's scent? And there was a hint of... something metallic. It was a hot, heady smell and Levy couldn't help but inhale deeply, enjoying how it made her feel.

She noticed that he was walking more quickly.

"It's alright Gajeel, it's just rain. I don't mind," she said, eyes still closed.

At the sound of his name coming from her lips, Gajeel's breath caught in his throat. He had just given it to her, was she supposed to use it so soon?

He glanced down at her but that was a bad idea. He froze, barely comprehending the information that his eyes were sending to his brain.

He had been right, earlier, when he figured she was getting just as wet as he was, but as it turned out, the rain was making her dress kinda… see-through. He felt his cheeks grow hot as he could basically see the form of her naked body pressed against his chest. No specifics, but her curves were a lot more apparent as well as the swell of her breasts underneath all the fabric and feathers.

The way she had her head against his chest, he could see the raindrops sliding down her alabaster skin ( _Had she always had alabaster skin? Was that a word he even knew?)_ , and the droplets caught on her eyelashes. She looked like an Angel again, elegantly draped in his arms, peaceful.

Levy felt a frown crease her forehead. Had they stopped? Why would he stop in the rain? Sure, she'd said she didn't mind it, but that hadn't been a suggestion to stop entirely. She opened her eyes and looked up, her breath catching when she found him openly staring down at her. She held his eyes for a moment, then frowned and looked around.

"What's-," she began, before she finally glanced down at herself.

Levy's jaw dropped in mortification and she looked back up at Gajeel, who was still just staring at her. She noticed in that instant that his tan face looked a couple shades darker.

Levy shrieked, curling herself into a ball and wrapping her arms around her chest.

Gajeel grunted as, for the second time that night, his balance was lost and he was left struggling to readjust her weight in his arms, trying not to drop her.

She could hear him cursing but her cheeks were on fire and she almost wished he _would_ drop her, just so she wouldn't have to be so uncomfortably close to him anymore. This was so embarrassing!

Gajeel had regained his balance, but he glared down at the _demon_ held securely in his arms. She might've been dressed like an angel, but it was clearly a deception. He picked up a brisk pace again, intent on getting rid of her.

Levy was freaking out.

"Why didn't you _tell_ me that my dress was see-through?!" she cried. "What the heck! How long were you planning to stare, you CREEP?"

Gajeel didn't like that she was blaming _him_ and he snorted.

" _Tsk!_ I'm not the one who chose ta wear somethin' fuckin' see-through!" He growled back, holding her tightly to his chest as he shot down the street.

Levy gasped, offended.

"I obviously didn't _know_ it was going to become this way in a little bit of rain! How could I have possibly known that?! Literally no idea!" she continued to shout, practically in his ear.

"Well maybe ya should think first before ya wear somethin'!"

"Are you _shaming_ me for my clothing choices?!"

" _Argh!_ " Gajeel growled, thoroughly pissed off. "Just shut yer trap and show me the way!"

"Turn LEFT here you MORON!"

Gajeel was practically running when Levy suddenly started shouting at him again, something about stopping, and he looked up to see the blue house looming in front of them.

"This is it?" He asked, glaring the house down.

"Yes! Now just put me down!"

Gajeel ignored her struggles and instead stalked towards the house and up the front steps, stopping at the door. He set her down gingerly as he looked around, and she reached into a hidden pocket in her dress and tugged out a key.

He watched as she fit the key into the singular lock on the door and swung it inwards, frowning deeply.

"Just the one lock…?" He asked, but she was already limping inside, trying to slam the door in his face.

He shot a hand out, stopping the door's motion, and Levy swiftly scowled up at him. They glared at each other for a moment, neither willing to back down, until Gajeel growled.

"Let me help ya to yer room," he said and Levy gasped, eyes wide.

" _What_?!" she breathed out. "You _pervert!_ You really think just because you helped me get home, I'm going to let you into my _room?_ Get the fuck out before I call the police!"

But Gajeel was shaking his head, and he met her eyes once more.

"Nah, Shorty. If I wanted _that,_ ya would know. Trust me," he grinned slightly. Levy gulped.

"Ya obviously can't put weight on that still," he grunted, motioning to her ankle. "I'll help ya out and then I'll leave, alright? And trust me, I have _no intention_ ta ever come back."

Levy was a storm of emotions, embarrassed and angry, and conflictingly annoyed that he had _no intention_ to ever come back, but she saw that sincerity in his eyes again and she knew he wasn't lying to her.

She sighed, relenting, and opened the door enough to allow him to slip inside. As soon as he was standing beside her he held an arm out and Levy grabbed onto it gratefully, wincing as a sharp jolt of pain ran up her leg from her ankle.

Gajeel was looking around the hall, noticing the distinct lack of security. There weren't any cameras in the place, there hadn't been any at the door either.

"I'm up the stairs and to the right," Levy said, motioning towards where the stairs were, and Gajeel bent down, swinging her back up into his arms again. Levy didn't say anything, just glad that it would be over soon. She was really ready to be done with this night. She was going to kill Lucy.

Gajeel pushed open the door she pointed out and walked into the room, looking around curiously. It was all rather… pink. There was a picture on the wall of Levy hugging that Bunny Girl from last year, and he snorted, figuring the color was due to her.

He walked towards the bed in the corner, one of the few things in the room that _wasn't_ pink, and he must've been right since Levy didn't protest as he set her down on top of it.

He took a step back and they found themselves in an awkward silence, unable to make eye contact.

"Well, uhm, thanks… I guess…," Levy said, hugging her arms over her chest.

"Right…," Gajeel said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Uhm, are you going to leave…?" She asked, looking up at him uncertainly, eyes narrowed.

"Right," he repeated, sounding dumb. He spun on his heel without another word and closed the door behind him, feeling her eyes on his back as he left.

Levy just watched him go, hoping that he was sticking to his word and leaving the house. She couldn't believe she had just let a strange man, not only inside their home, but also inside her _room_. But if he had wanted to take advantage of her, he'd had every opportunity from the very beginning.

She looked down at her soaking dress and swollen ankle, and sighed.

So much for a casual night of studying. Now all she wanted to do was crawl under the covers and forget any of this had ever happened. She couldn't believe that she had run into Gajeel again, on Halloween no less, and that he'd once again altered the course of her night. She felt flustered and annoyed, but also grudgingly thankful that he'd been there to help.

It was like Lucy had said last year, he was a Devil that showed up during her time of greatest need, saw her to safety, and then vanished as quickly as he had come. If he hadn't appeared she'd probably still be out there on the sidewalk, crawling through the mud and rain. But his perfect timing was almost eerie… was Levy being haunted?

She shook her head at her own crazy thoughts. Clearly the atmosphere and the pain from her ankle had gotten to her. She just needed to get out of these wet clothes and get some sleep. Maybe brainstorm some ways to murder Lucy…

She pulled the dress up over her head, throwing it carelessly on the ground, and winced as she maneuvered herself underneath her blankets, falling back to her soft pillow.

She sighed, the tension in her body slowly draining away, and inhaled deeply in order to relax. And it was in that moment, in the sudden silent stillness of her room, that she remembered the way he had smelled… Warm and hot. It was impossible to remember clearly, the smell of her own room overpowering the memory. She'd always felt cozy here in bed but now it was almost… lacking.

* * *

Gajeel made his way swiftly down the staircase, pausing in the hall. It didn't seem like anyone else was home and he hesitated a moment, before deciding it wouldn't hurt to poke around the downstairs rooms for a minute.

He silently went from room to room, surveying the living room and then the kitchen with a trained eye. He was frowning by the time he arrived back in the hall. This house had little to no security, and he knew if someone like him were trying to break in, it'd be a piece of cake.

He left out the front door and headed back towards his bike, lost in thought. Luckily the rain was letting up, and it was nothing more than a light mist around him. He couldn't stop going back to the way she had looked, sitting on her bed, dress soaked and arms wrapped around herself. Her hair had come undone slightly, and curls of blue had fallen around her face. Thinking about that had his mind's eye going back to what she'd looked like, pressed up against his body…

Gajeel found himself blushing. No, fuck that, he wasn't going to let her affect him like this.

Now that he knew where she lived, he was confident he could avoid her, plus it was unlikely he'd ever be in Hargeon again anyways. Hopefully there'd be no more fuck-ups with the operation here and José would never send him back.

He reached his bike but a glint in the distance had him pausing. Hesistantly, he walked towards it, towards the spot where he'd first found her on the sidewalk.

Amongst the leaves, twinkling up at him, was one of Levy's shoes. He remembered now that she had taken off her shoe when she'd first injured her ankle, and she must've been too distracted to grab it when he had picked her up.

He grinned softly at the way she had blushed in his arms.

The shoe stared back at him and he crouched there for a minute before making a decision.

Back on his bike, he revved up the engine and glanced at his wristwatch. _Fuck._

It was a little past one in the morning, and José had wanted him back by eight. If he was quick, he could make the drive in a little under five hours, but that was as long as nothing else held him up. He desperately wanted to be back in time to shower and maybe catch an hour of sleep. He was exhausted and soaking wet.

It was going to be a long drive… But at least he had plenty to think about, and his treacherous mind snapped back to the images in his head. The wind brushed against his slightly flushed cheeks and for the thousandth time he growled at himself. Damn, he'd need to get these unwelcome thoughts under control…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Cheers!~


	3. Halloween 2019

**_Thursday, October 31st, 2019_ **

**_-Hargeon Town-_ **

"- and that's why the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell –," the professor droned, and in the back row Levy felt her eyes drooping. She reached for her third cup of coffee, taking a large gulp, and trying to refocus on the lesson.

Levy was not normally one to be sleeping during a lecture, but she'd just pulled an all-nighter to finish a research paper for her advanced journalism course. It had been a busy week for the studious bluenette, since she was in her Junior year of University. She had a large test tomorrow as well, and she surreptitiously glanced at her phone, checking the time, thinking about how she would block out the rest of her day.

Right there, above the numbers displaying the time on her phone's screen, was the date.

October 31st. It was Halloween.

Levy felt a shiver run through her. What a wonderful time of year. But unfortunately what a _busy_ time of year, now that all her classes were more advanced.

 _Only a couple more minutes_ , she thought, eager to leave the classroom and get back home to the warm embrace of her glorious bed. Yes, a nap was certainly in order.

The bell rung, cutting the professor off mid-sentence, and he sighed before shouting out to the students, who were already eagerly packing up, about their homework for the night. Levy threw her books and notebook into her bag, downed the last bit of her coffee, and bounded down the stairs. She tossed her empty cup into the bin by the door and pushed out into the biting Autumn air.

She walked briskly across the square, enjoying the atmosphere, but especially looking forward to that romantic date she had planned with her bed…

Of course, since it was Halloween, there would be plenty of student activity throughout the day and into the night, both on campus and off. Her friends were once again throwing the infamous Halloween Bash and Levy chuckled, remembering the disastrous events of the year before.

Since a whole year had passed, Levy could look back on that night with humor. It was honestly a hilarious story, one that she had thoroughly enjoyed recounting to Lucy, who had been shocked to come home and find her friend soaked and injured in bed. Luckily, her ankle had recovered quite quickly over the next couple of days.

But she still used every opportunity in the following months to tease Lucy as much as possible. After all, if it hadn't been for her and those dumb high heels, Levy probably wouldn't have had an issue getting home. She knew Lucy felt terribly guilty, so she'd assured her friend that there were no genuinely hard feelings, but a little teasing every now and again couldn't hurt.

As for Gajeel… Levy shook her head. She didn't even know what to think when it came to him. Lucy had looked at her with that same skeptical expression she'd had the year before, especially since no one else other than Levy had ever seen him. The pair even did some detective work around the campus and throughout the town but came up emptyhanded on both fronts. It implied that he either wasn't a student, or didn't live in Hargeon at all. Levy couldn't even find anything about the man online, he simply didn't exist. He was a ghost.

She took refuge in the thought that it was unlikely she'd ever meet him again. After all, they'd only met twice in two years, what were the odds that would happen once more? They were especially slim since she didn't intend to go out tonight.

She picked up her pace as she neared her house, eager to get into her bed and finally relax a bit, before the long night of studying she had planned. She pulled out her keys, going through the tedious task of unlocking the various deadbolts and the keypad on the front door, and swung it open, feeling the warmth inside sweep over her. She smiled, hearing several other girls in the kitchen, chatting lightly.

In her room, she quickly shed her backpack and coats, snuggling up in her bed and closing her eyes. Just a quick nap, then she'd need to focus on her studies. Lucy hadn't questioned it when Levy had said she wouldn't go to the party. She understood that the bluenette was less than excited to go out again after the previous two Halloweens, and the burden of increased coursework was something also felt by the Blonde. She'd simply given Levy a hug and told her it didn't matter, that she was alright with going alone this year, and Levy had wished her the best of luck in her romantic quest, to which Lucy had blushed and groaned.

Levy looked forward to being up in a couple hours, making hot chocolate or possibly heating up spiced cider, and lighting some candles as she poured through her textbooks, like a witch reading through her grimoires. But for now, she needed some rest, and she smiled to herself as she fell into a deep and pleasant slumber.

* * *

Wind whipped through Gajeel's hair, which was pulled back in a low ponytail, streaming behind him as he drove down the highway. Classic rock blared from the speakers of his jet black Corvette convertible, top pulled down. He lounged in the seat, sun glinting off his sunglasses, right hand lazily resting on the wheel, left arm draped across the door, driving twenty over the speed limit.

He sped past a cop sitting on the side of the road, but grinned as he glanced in his rearview mirror and there were no flashing lights behind him. José really _had_ bought the police out here. His distinctive license plate told the officer that he was off limits, and he grinned, his ego inflating.

Gajeel had worked hard to rise up in the ranks of Phantom Lord. It had been a year since he'd last thrown up, and in that time he'd seen more and done more than his past self could've fathomed. But it was for the best, and his new car was a tangible reminder of that. He lived a fairly comfortable life, with more freedom within the organization than he'd ever had before, and it would stay this way as long as, at the end of the day, he was still willing to roll up his sleeves and do the dirty work.

That being said, anyone beneath José was still a grunt, so when the master had ordered him to come back down to Hargeon ( _on October fucking 31_ _st_ ), he hadn't batted an eye, simply did as he was told. He was really hoping this wouldn't become an annual thing.

Thinking about Hargeon always made him think of _her_ , a topic he'd been careful to avoid since the fated night he'd run into her again, a year ago. But at least he knew where she lived now, and he knew what parts of town she frequented. He figured as long as he was careful and avoided those places, it was likely he wouldn't see her again, and the less he saw her the better. After all, Gajeel's life was complicated. She would be better off not getting dragged into it.

He grinned as a favorite song came on and he started shouting the lyrics, his voice whipping past him and getting lost on the highway.

Yes, all would go according to plan. He'd get the job done and get out.

He pressed down harder on the accelerator, speeding past several other cars as he went. At least it wasn't supposed to rain tonight - the drive back last year had been hell.

* * *

Levy had been having the most pleasant dream… She felt like she was in a cloud of golden warmth... it's hot and heady smell was slightly metallic, her stomach twisted pleasantly… But then... Slowly, out of nowhere, a creeping discomfort started to permeate at the edges… The discomfort built slowly until Levy could no longer push it back down, and she found herself waking up with a frown, groggy, pain now pooling in her stomach. Was this…?

 _Fuck,_ Levy groaned, rubbing her sleep swollen eyes and shuffling about to find her phone. The movement caused the pain to spike through her and she tapped her phone screen, discovering it was 11:34 PM.

She groaned again, turning to lie on her back and rested a hand on her sensitive stomach, staring at the ceiling. She had just gotten her period.

It was pretty early. Levy didn't have a consistent schedule, but she'd thought she would get it sometime next week, not _tonight_. She still had her test to study for and the prospect of spending the night poring over textbooks while sedated with painkillers wasn't a pleasant one.

Levy rolled out of bed lightly and shuffled to the small bathroom she shared with Lucy. She started rummaging through the drawers and cupboards for a tampon but frowned when she came up empty handed. They must have run out.

She shrugged and made her way out into the hallway. The house was quiet, all the girls had left for the night already, and Levy was undisturbed as she softly peeked into Lisanna's room in her quest. But once again, Levy wasn't able to find the object of her desire.

Levy went through each and every bathroom in the house, her frown deepening as she went. How was it possible that she lived with a bunch of women and not a single one of them had tampons?! Either they hid them well or they all used menstrual cups! Levy was incredulous. This was surely the Universe, cursing her for not switching to the more environmentally friendly option.

Levy exited from Laki's bathroom, the last one she had searched in vain, finding only a surprisingly large collection of handcuffs and spiked collars stashed in the cupboards… Levy shook her head. What her roommates did was none of her concern, she hadn't been trying to snoop.

But she was flabbergasted. Seriously? Not a single tampon? Anywhere?

She bit her lip as she thought about what to do and made her way to the silent kitchen to pop some aspirin.

Well, there was no other option. She'd have to go buy some. Levy really didn't feel like leaving the house. She probably looked terrifying, with deep bags under her eyes from countless late nights of studying and her messy, unbrushed hair. She certainly _felt_ terrifying. At least she didn't have anyone she was trying to impress.

She groaned and shuffled back to her room like a zombie, the painkiller already easing the cramps slightly. She pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans and threw on an oversized gray hoodie. She shoved a headband on her head, to keep the hair from her eyes, and grabbed her red bag on her way out the door.

Outside in the crisp night air, she walked with a clipped pace towards the bus stop, feeling gross and bloated. The nearest convenience store was a couple of minutes away by bus. She planned to be in and out as fast as possible, so she could sooner crawl back into the warm safe confines of her covers.

 _Ya know, some ice cream sounds pretty good right about now,_ she thought. _Yeah, fuck it. I'm going to treat myself. It is Halloween, after all._

And she smiled lightly to herself, mind now singularly focused on the delicious dairy product soon to be within her grasp.

* * *

Gajeel glanced at his wristwatch, and noted the time. Two minutes to midnight. Perfect.

His night was going excellently so far. He'd swept into town, got down to business, and wrapped up on schedule. He didn't even have any blood on his suit jacket, not that he'd done too much damage. Just a couple of well-placed punches.

He pulled open his car door, smoothly sliding in, and threw his briefcase onto the backseat. He rolled his eyes. Look at him, carrying briefcases around. But they really were quite handy when you just needed to carry papers.

He reached over and popped the glove compartment open, digging inside for a pack of smokes. He frowned when he came up empty. No problem, he thought, and reached into a coat pocket. Nothing. He checked the other one, but once again, nada. Frowning more deeply, he started to dig through his pants pockets and looked around the floor. He opened the middle console and felt a rush of relief at the cigarette box inside, but when he grabbed it and flipped it open, it too was empty.

Gajeel groaned. All he wanted after a meeting was a good smoke. He knew it was his own fault, for not buying more when he ran out, but he was still frustrated by the current situation.

He turned his keys in the ignition. Alright, no biggie, he could deal with this slight hiccup and then be back on track. He'd just swing through the nearest store, grab a pack, and then hit the road again.

Easy fix. What could go wrong?

* * *

"Hold on, I _know_ it's in here somewhere," Levy pleaded, digging through her bag but painfully aware of the impatient clerk in front of her. On the counter between them sat a box of tampons and a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Possibly not her proudest purchase, but it was 2019, wasn't it time for women to stop being embarrassed by their periods?!

She kept searching through her bag, looking for her wallet. She'd had her bus pass, so shouldn't her wallet be in here too? Had she left it in her room? Lost it? Maybe she had some spare change in here…

"You have got to be kidding me," Levy muttered to herself, anxiety building.

She glanced back up at the cashier to apologize again, but now the boy behind the counter wasn't looking at her. He was staring at something past her, his eyes a little wide.

"Wha-?" Levy started to ask, but the question didn't get a chance to be heard.

" **Gihihi,"** came a deep dark chuckle right over her shoulder, and Levy was already frowning. She slowly turned around and sure enough, there in all his ominous glory, stood Gajeel.

He was standing just behind her, haughty posture with arms crossed over his chest. His muscles seemed to strain against the fabric of his dark grey pinstripe suit. He was grinning down at her from his impressive height, at least a full foot taller than herself, but Levy met his arrogant laughing eyes with a fierce expression of her own, refusing to let him intimidate her. She adopted a similar stance, crossing her arms as well.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Levy said again, staring back at the man.

"And what are _you_ doing here, Gajeel?" She asked.

"Ghihi!" He chuckled again, amused by her reaction upon seeing him, and Levy blushed despite herself as Gajeel raked his eyes over her body unapologetically. She was practically drowning in that large gray hoodie, but he liked the way her jeans hugged her curves. Her hair was shorter than it had been the previous two years, and he noticed it curled right above her shoulders, held back by a bright orange headband.

"Can't a guy buy some smokes without bein' interrogated?"

Levy looked at him skeptically.

"Are you _stalking_ me?" She asked, and Gajeel snorted at that.

"Don't flatter yerself, Shorty. I was in the area."

The cashier behind them cleared his throat loudly, but his efforts at getting their attention were too effective as Gajeel and Levy both turned to look at him. Levy was still frowning, distracted, but Gajeel adopted a slight glare as he stared the kid down over Levy's head, losing the grin he'd had before.

"Uhm, is anyone going to buy anything?" the kid asked, a little perturbed by Gajeel's expression.

Gajeel stalked forward towards the counter, sidestepping Levy on the way, and he leaned forward resting his elbows on the surface, still staring the kid down. The boy swallowed at Gajeel's sudden proximity.

"Pack 'a smokes," Gajeel grunted, and the nervous cashier nodded his head, turning around to shuffle through the shelves of tobacco behind him.

"A-anything else?" He asked when he turned back, and Gajeel nodded to Levy's things, sitting forgotten on the counter.

"Whatever she's gettin'," he said, and the cashier simply nodded, ringing the items up and putting them in a plastic bag. Gajeel handed him his card, grabbing the cigarettes up off the counter, and already ripping the pack open to place one between his lips.

The cashier handed his card back, and started to mumble something under his breath. Gajeel glared at him as if he'd forgotten the kid was still there.

"What was that?" He growled, prompting the kid to point at a sign taped to the counter.

"Uhm, no smoking in here, sir," He said, trying not to look at Gajeel, but the man grunted and turned away, sauntering past a frozen Levy and pushing open the doors to outside.

Levy blinked, shaken from her stillness by the sound of the bell above the door tinkling at Gajeel's exit and her brain seemed to be catching up to her. That arrogant man! He didn't need to buy her things for her, she was perfectly capable of paying for herself!

Levy scowled and darted forward to grab the bag with her tampons and ice cream off the counter, the cashier already busying himself with something else. She swiftly turned on the ball of her foot and walked out of the store after Gajeel, bell ringing again as she pushed through the door.

Gajeel was standing a few feet away, pulling a lighter out of his pants pocket, cigarette still firmly between his teeth. Levy ignored him and started walking quickly in the direction of the bus stop.

Gajeel watched her as she strutted away, her back to him, and he leaned forward to light his cigarette. Damn, those jeans really did look great on her. He took an initial puff then called out to her retreating form.

"Hey, Shorty!" he said, causing the bluenette to pause, then spin around crossing her arms, hip jutting out.

"What?" She snapped, and Gajeel chuckled, taking another drag of the cigarette.

"Want me ta give ya a ride?" Gajeel asked, unperturbed by her hostile gaze. She snorted.

"On your _bike_? Yeah, no thank you," and Gajeel was already shaking his head.

"Nah," he said, "In this," and Levy watched as he walked over to the sleek black Corvette sitting outside the convenience store, leaning against it lazily and looking back at her.

Levy couldn't help herself, she found her jaw dropping slightly. Well, that was a surprise. Now that she glanced him over again, she noticed that the man looked a lot more sophisticated than he had before. He was in a nice suit, with shiny black shoes, his hair pulled back to show off the piercings glinting on his face.

She noticed a briefcase sitting in the backseat of the glossy car, and she almost laughed to herself, unable to imagine the man in front of her with such a thing. But he sure seemed to be more suave than he had years prior, and she supposed a lot could change about a person in a year. She herself was much different than she had been when they'd first met, so why shouldn't his life be completely different as well? His attitude was certainly more… cocky. She didn't like it.

"No thanks," she said, with sharp red eyes staring her down. "I'm taking the bus."

Gajeel simply raised an eyebrow and looked over her shoulder, where she had jutted her thumb in the direction of the bus stop.

"Ya mean," he drawled, " _that_ bus?"

And Levy whirled around, heart sinking as she saw her bus begin to close its doors and pull away from the stop.

 _Crap!_ She thought, eyes wide. _Was that the last bus of the night?!_

She whipped out her phone to check the bus timetables and ignored the tall man chuckling against his fancy car, smoking his cigarette.

"Crap!" She said again, this time out loud, and much to her annoyance Gajeel chuckled again.

"Was that the last bus?" He asked, and Levy glared as she met his shining eyes, annoyed at how perceptive he was.

"Whatever," She grumbled, turning to walk away.

"Oi!" Gajeel called, but this time Levy didn't stop.

"Where do ya think yer goin?" He asked.

"I'll just walk!" Levy yelled back, eager to get away from him. "A pleasure as always, Gajeel! _See ya_!"

"Oh ya?" He replied, loud enough that she could still hear him.

"And let's see," he continued. "Yer place is, what, a ten minute drive? So that's like, a thirty? Forty minute walk?"

Levy sighed and stopped, turning back to Gajeel once more. The way he was leaning against that vintage Corvette in his suit, he looked like an old school mobster.

"It's fine, I don't mind the walk," Levy said truthfully.

Gajeel was shaking his head.

"Ya, but that's gonna melt," he said, causing Levy to frown.

"What's going to melt?" She asked.

Gajeel responded by pointing at the bag she held in her hand and she looked down at it realizing that… crap, he was right. Her ice cream would be toast. Well, the _opposite_ of toast, it'd be a melted mess after a forty minute walk. Damn it!

"Come on, I don't mind," Gajeel said, taking one last puff on his cigarette before tossing the butt on the ground and stamping it out with his shoe. Without waiting to see what she'd do, he opened his driver's side door and slid in behind the wheel.

Levy sighed, weighing her options. She could walk back and give up on her ice cream. Or she could get a ride from Gajeel, who was sitting in his car playing with his lighter, waiting for her to decide. Maybe she could eat her ice cream all at once, on the walk back? But she shook her head at the silly thought.

Sighing, she walked over to the passenger side door of the Corvette, pulling it open and sliding in beside the grinning man. He turned the keys in the ignition, starting the car up, and pulled out of the parking lot swiftly as Levy buckled the seatbelt across her lap.

"You need to go…" Levy started, but Gajeel interrupted her with a laugh.

"I know the way, Shorty," He said and she blushed. She supposed he did.

Levy looked out to her right at the streetlamps slipping by. The cool breeze rushed past them as they drove and Levy enjoyed the way it felt running through her hair.

This was a pretty fancy car, Levy thought to herself, glancing around at the shiny and buffed interior. Smooth, unblemished leather. She glanced once more at the man lounging at the wheel, his eyes on the road. How could Gajeel afford a car this nice? It had to be pretty expensive.

"What did you say you do for work?" Levy found herself asking and Gajeel's eyes flitted over to her briefly, before returning to the road.

"I didn't," He grunted, and Levy frowned.

"It's just, this is a pretty expensive car. It must be vintage, right?" she kept pondering, mostly to herself.

Gajeel didn't like the direction this conversation was going so he switched the topic.

"And what about ya?" He asked, causing Levy to look at him once more.

"Yer a student, yeah?" He asked, and Levy nodded.

"Yeah, I go to Hargeon University. I guess that's pretty obvious, considering this is a college town."

"Whatcha studyin'?" Gajeel asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, right now I'm taking a lot of journalism classes. But I wouldn't mind going into publishing either. Maybe be an editor?" She said thoughtfully and Gajeel frowned darkly.

"Ya should be a publisher. Or an editor," He growled, causing Levy to look at him surprised.

"Oh? And what's wrong with journalism?" She asked. Gajeel snorted.

"Journalists poke their noses in shit best left alone. It's too dangerous. Trust me, Short-stuff, don't do it if ya wanna keep that pretty little head 'a yers on yer shoulders," And Gajeel looked over at her, meeting her eyes briefly. Levy could see he was being serious and it made her frown suspiciously.

Levy found herself saying, "Oh yeah? Well isn't that the whole point? To uncover the truth from the lies? To shed light on the darkness? And what's wrong with that? You still haven't mentioned what _you_ do, Gajeel, and why exactly is that? You can't tell me you're a student, not with that suit or this car."

Gajeel just grunted, eyes on the road. "See? Too many questions."

Levy just huffed, crossing her arms and sitting back into her seat. This man was so evasive. He was a mystery, and she usually preferred being able to solve those.

Gajeel was now wishing he hadn't offered to give Levy a ride. When he'd seen her in the store, her back to him as she rummaged through her bag, he'd wondered if he should just turn around and leave. But the opportunity had presented itself to interact with her one more time and he'd selfishly decided to take it. He liked the way she blushed when he teased her, and he liked her spark.

But he should've known she'd be too inquisitive, and he wasn't happy hearing that she was interested in investigative journalism. She needed to keep her nose out of other people's business, especially his. He prayed that when she graduated, she'd go to a different city, maybe leave the country of Fiore altogether.

 _Just don't go ta Magnolia City, Lev,_ he thought. _Stay away from there, 'n the underground world of crime._

Even the quote-unquote "good guys" of Fairy Tail had their paws dipped in the darkness. Gajeel never wanted to see someone like her get wrapped up in that life, and it had been a mistake to bring that life to her by choosing to say 'Hi.'

Gajeel pulled up outside Levy's house and she was already unbuckling her seatbelt and gathering up her things.

"Well, Gajeel," she said, turning towards him. "As I said earlier, it's been a _pleasure_. But I doubt we'll ever see each other again. Have a nice life."

Gajeel had put the car in park and he was watching her. When she turned to him to say goodbye, his eyes caught hers, and his brain did that silly thing again where it couldn't think straight. He was lost in her eyes, beautiful pools of hazel shining in the light, and she just looked so _beautiful._

He decided, on an impulse, as long as he wasn't planning to ever see her again anyways… might as well just have once last bit of fun.

"Wait, Levy," he said, reaching out and catching her wrist in his hand. Levy paused from opening the door and stared down at the large hand that had captured her wrist, then back at Gajeel with a raised eyebrow.

"Is this it?" She asked dryly, "Are you kidnapping me? Come on, Gajeel, let me go."

He simply grinned and shook his head. His grip on her wrist didn't hurt, but she could feel the strength behind it, and she knew she'd never be able to break out of it unless he wanted her to. Levy was starting to feel very uncertain. Was Gajeel going to do something bad to her this time? He'd driven her home, why wasn't he letting her leave his car now? She frowned back at him as he continued to grin, and she started feeling flustered.

"Okay Gajeel, jokes up. Let me out now."

Gajeel simply shook his head again, to her chagrin.

"Not until I get a treat," He said, a shit-eating grin on his face. "It's Halloween, ain't it? Don't I get somethin' fer drivin' ya back?"

Levy's eyebrows shot towards her hairline, aghast.

"Excuse me, WHAT?" she exclaimed.

Gajeel had never asked anything of her before, had never threatened her or taken advantage of her, and _now_ he wanted something? A _treat_? What the fuck, did he want a _kiss?_ Levy started blushing madly as the thought came to her. She'd never kissed anyone before! And now this bastard wanted to steal her first kiss from her?! Because he'd driven her home? Screw that!

"No! Gajeel, _no_ I am _not_ kissing you! Let me go this _instant!"_ Levy shrieked, trying to pry herself from his grasp but unable to loosen the iron grip.

Gajeel's grin grew wider.

"Woah, Shorty, didn't know yer mind was so filthy. Who said anythin' 'bout a kiss?" He loved how bright red her cheeks were as she turned towards him in anguish.

"Then _what?_ What kind of a treat do you want?!" and Gajeel nodded towards the plastic bag in her hands.

She looked down at it, needing a moment to comprehend what he was suggesting.

"… My _ice cream_? You want some of my _ice cream_?"

"Bingo," Gajeel grinned, meeting her widened eyes with his own.

"Gajeel...!" Levy said exasperatedly, still distraught. The man beside her was chuckling at her distress. Levy was normally a calm and thoughtful person, but this _arrogant_ and _conceited_ man was somehow always able to turn her into a flustered mess. Levy sensed that if she continued to protest, the whole affair would just get drawn out more, so she grumbled as she relented, pulling her pint out of the plastic bag with her free hand and holding it out towards him.

Gajeel raised his eyebrows at the proffered pint.

"What?" Levy snapped, glaring, face still red. "Just take it! It's want you wanted, right?"

"Gihi, not quite…" Gajeel said, licking his lips. His eyes looked dark in the low light and Levy swallowed nervously. "My hands're a little busy, Shorty. Why dontcha feed it to me?"

Levy felt like steam was just about to come out of her ears. She was completely flabbergasted and thoroughly annoyed.

"Levy! My name is Levy! Not _Shorty!_ " she shouted, but stuck the pint between her legs and used her free hand to rip the plastic seal off from around the lid. She noticed there was a plastic spoon in the bag and she pulled the lid off the pint, it's smooth untouched surface glistening.

She used the plastic utensil to dig out a sizeable spoonful of the vanilla-based flavor, with a nice big chunk of chocolate covered pretzel.

Levy turned towards the waiting man, glaring at him fiercely, and held the spoon out towards him in disgust. She couldn't believe this was happening.

Gajeel leaned forward slowly, maintaining eye contact with Levy as he did, and opened his mouth to engulf the cold, sweet treat in one bite. Levy couldn't look away from his eyes, feeling hot. Something in the dark look he was giving her made her insides twist.

And as soon as he'd clamped his mouth down fully on the bite of ice cream, Levy released the spoon and pulled her hand back. Gajeel chuckled, letting go of her wrist and he reached up to take the spoon out of his mouth, crunching down on the pretzel and savoring the thick vanilla ice cream before swallowing it down in one gulp.

He watched as Levy, with slightly shaky hands, fit the lid back on the pint and tossed it unceremoniously back into the plastic bag with her tampons. She opened the door quickly and hopped out of the car, barely taking the time to close the door behind her.

"ThankyoufortherideGajeel,HaveaGoodNight,HopetoNeverSeeYouAgain," Levy was saying as she went, refusing to meet his eyes.

Gajeel lounged in his seat, watching as the girl raced away down the path and up the stairs to the door of her house. Damn, those jeans really were great...

He was pleased to see it took her a minute to fumble with the various locks on the door and he noticed the glint of a security camera hidden above. The entire time, Levy refused to look back, and soon she'd slipped through the door into the house, leaving him sitting in his car, alone. The street around him was empty and he sat for a moment, licking the spoon clean, before tossing it back next to his briefcase.

Gajeel grinned. The look on her face had been priceless. He loved watching her vibrant reactions. It had been cruel of him, yes, but it had been worth it, and he was grinning even wider as he shifted his car back into drive, pulling away from the curb.

It'd been his choice, these last several years, to interact with her. Each time he'd been the one to make the first move. He knew that next time, _if_ there ever was a next time, he would walk away without a word. He would never approach her again, and he would never try to find her. In fact, he planned to actively avoid her as much as possible. It was the only way to keep her safe.

Yes, that was his excuse for the extra teasing he'd done tonight. These would be the last memories he'd ever make with her, so he was pleased with himself that they were such _colorful_ ones. But he'd need to practice self-restraint with these memories, he knew, if the tightness in his pants was anything to go by. _Damn, this girl..._

* * *

Levy leaned against the front door she'd just slammed behind her, breathing heavily, eyes wide.

That _prick_! She _knew_ he'd been cockier this year!

She scowled as she headed towards the kitchen, putting her vandalized pint of ice cream in the freezer and getting herself a glass of water. The clock on the microwave told her that it was a little past one in the morning, which meant her housemates probably wouldn't be home for several more hours.

Levy relaxed against the kitchen counter, simply taking a moment to catch her breath and allow her flushed cheeks to return to normal. The cool and still air around her was a much needed reprieve from the scene in the vintage Corvette outside.

 _Well_ , _at least I've got another interesting story to tell Lucy,_ she thought to herself, thinking back on her night. But then her blush was coming back, as quickly as it had faded, when she thought about the look in Gajeel's eyes when she'd fed him the scoop of ice cream. The way she hadn't been able to look away as he'd leaned in, eyes hooded, and seductively enveloped the spoon she was holding out to him, his tongue outstretched slightly, his sharp teeth glinting in the light...

Levy shook her head hard, insides twisting. She quickly grabbed the bottle of aspirin and swallowed a couple down, with another drink of cool water.

 _Damn these cramps,_ she thought, cheeks red. They were the only reasonable explanation for how messed up her stomach was!

She wandered back to her room, thinking about the studying she still had to do. Luckily there was plenty of time left in the night and she knew she'd need those hours if she wanted to do well on her test tomorrow. But before she could help it, her traitorous mind had drifted back to Gajeel...

Damn it! She needed to stop thinking about him and his dumb face if she wanted to be able to focus! Hopefully she'd never run into him again, he'd already done enough. _More_ than enough. _Damn, that man..._


	4. The Night Before

**_Friday, October 30_ _th_ _, 2020_ **

**_-Hargeon Town-_ **

Lucy pursed her lips as she held a skirt up, looking it over with a trained eye. She liked the length of this one, and the pleats, but the colors were completely wrong. She sighed, shaking her head, and put it back on the sale rack in front of her before continuing to flip through the wide variety of skirts that hung there.

Nearby, Levy was doing the same thing, searching through the hoard of clothing crowded together on a different sales rack nearby. Lucy glanced over at her friend.

"Any luck over there?" She asked, and Levy shook her head.

A couple of hours ago, the girls had been leaving their last class of the day. They'd successfully gotten through the school week, crammed with more assignments and tests than ever, and they'd been anxiously awaiting this weekend for months. It was Halloween weekend after all, and they had a whole plan in place, to celebrate both the holiday and the start of their Senior year.

As luck would have it, Monday of next week was some kind of pre-scheduled school closure, so the students were treated to a three-day weekend, with Halloween falling on the Saturday prior. It was the perfect day of the week for Halloween, much better than a school or work night. Halloween would get the chance to be a bigger event than usual this year, and all of Fiore seemed to be prepping for it.

Unfortunately, they'd fallen behind on costume shopping, and Levy still needed to find a skirt before they could go home and kick off the weekend with their friends.

Lucy and Levy had swung through the campus coffee shop after class, to get festive Fall-themed drinks, before they met up with Natsu and Gray and piled into Lucy's relatively new, light pink Mercedes Benz.

Lucy had been upset when she'd first seen the car, delivered to her doorstep at the beginning of September. She didn't need to look at the paperwork the deliveryman had been handing her to know where it had come from. Her father, though well-meaning, didn't know how to express any kind of emotion outside the form of money.

Lucy had grown up surrounded by maids, nannies, and tutors. She'd rarely had the chance to spend time with children her age, and she'd had even less time with her father. She knew the responsibilities and duties he had running his company were severe, but even when he could've tried to bond with her more, he hadn't. Instead he'd retreated into his study, leaving a young Lucy wondering what she had done to drive her father away. She'd given up on having a father's presence in her life a long time ago. And in the meantime, he continued to shower her with opulent and expensive gifts on every occasion, as if their abundance could make up for his absence.

Lucy figured the car was to celebrate her Senior year but as with all of his gifts she wished he would've asked her what she wanted first rather than just assuming. Lucy had managed to escape her crystal shackles when she'd gotten into Hargeon University, and she didn't want to attract unwanted attention to her new life here by driving luxury cars and wearing designer clothing.

Her father, of course, had been less than pleased with her decision to attend the seaside school. He wanted her to enroll somewhere closer to home, and somewhere far more prestigious, but Lucy had managed to persuade him otherwise. She admitted that she felt slightly ashamed at the methods she'd employed, but she didn't regret them, since they'd allowed her to move to this University and this town, and it had been the single best thing that had ever happened to her.

The fact that her methods had worked at all proved that, even though he had no idea how to be a father, he still cared about her… He still wanted her to be happy... He still wanted to be good. The pain they both carried within was likely the only thing they could truly ever bond over.

Lucy had decided to keep the car, even though it was flashy, since she knew he was trying. And the thought of getting rid of it felt selfish, since at least she _had_ a father, even if mostly by name. She knew Levy wasn't so lucky. No fancy cars would ever be coming to her anytime soon. Lucy knew she should be grateful for what she had in her life.

But that didn't mean she needed to rely on him, something proven by Lucy's own successes these past four years at building a life for herself that was as close to normal as she could make it. Lucy was proud of herself and her own accomplishments and nothing her father did could make that go away. She was satisfied in knowing that even though she was accepting his gift, she didn't _need_ it and she never would. She could take care of herself.

Over the course of the afternoon, Lucy and Levy had been able to find skirts with one or two of the characteristics they wanted, but after a couple hours of searching, they'd failed to find one with _all_ of them. Lucy was starting to get a little frustrated as she continued to paw through the shelves of the third store they'd visited. Halloween was tomorrow, they wouldn't have any more time to look if they didn't find something soon!

Two years ago, the two roommates had started watching anime together every Friday night. Lisanna was the first to join them, hearing them from across the hall and dragging Cana over with her. Then Natsu had gotten jealous of the girls for stealing Lucy away from him every Friday, and he'd insisted on coming, bringing a grumbling Gray along. Lastly, Levy had invited Jet and Droy, unable to leave them out, and thus a tradition was born. The eight friends spent every Friday night afterwards binging anime, stuffing their faces with popcorn and sour gummy worms, and laughing their asses off together.

Then, last year, the group had started Soul Eater, a show that Lucy and Levy had both wanted to watch. Practically after the first episode, Lucy was already comparing Levy to Maka and Natsu to Black Star. One night, after a particularly intense episode, Lucy was ranting about the similarities again when a bright gleam came into her eyes.

Levy looked at her suspiciously.

"What's up with that look, Lu-chan. I'm not sure I like it…"

"Oh my god! Levy, don't you _see_? Soul Eater! Us!" Lucy was looking around at them all, eyes wide with excitement. They all stared back at her blankly.

"Uhm, Lucy? What?" Levy asked.

" _Halloween!_ " Lucy practically squealed. "I know it's still months away, but it'd be _perfect_! Levy, you'd make an excellent Maka. And Natsu, Black Star obviously! I suppose Tsubaki would be best for me –," Lucy said, blushing, before she continued "- and Gray would be Death the Kid."

Lucy turned to Lisanna and Cana, who were already hugging each other and giggling, one step ahead of her.

"Well Lisanna and Cana would be Patty and Liz, obviously. That just leaves…" Lucy put her finger to her chin thoughtfully, going over the main characters in her head.

"Soul, I guess? Who would be Soul?"

The others all turned to look at Jet and Droy, the only ones in the room that Lucy hadn't already assigned a role to. Both boys were starting to blush vigorously, staring at an increasingly worried Levy.

It was no secret in the show that Maka and Soul were meant to be together. They were the most obvious ship, outside Black Star and Tsubaki. If Levy was Maka, then whoever got to be Soul…

"Me! I'll be Soul!" shouted Droy, and Jet was already glaring at him.

"No, obviously _I_ should be Soul! I look much more like him!"

"Are you crazy? You don't look like him at all!"

"Well neither do you!"

"I called it first! It should definitely be me!"

"No, no, that's not fair! _I_ was first and we both know it! I deserve it most!"

The boys were so busying squabbling amongst themselves, they failed to notice Levy's increasingly red face as well as the rest of the group starting to chuckle at the commotion. After all, the two boys weren't just arguing over who got to be Soul, they were basically arguing over who got to be with _Levy_ …

It was no secret to any of them that Jet and Droy were both in love with Levy and in this moment she found herself feeling _mortified_.

"Guys! _STOP_!" Levy cried, hands on her cheeks, trying to calm herself down. Neither of the boys heard, both focused on the argument. Levy finally pushed herself forward between them, putting a hand on each of their chests, causing them to freeze and stare down at her.

" _Seriously_ … It's not that big of a deal. What if you both be Soul?" Levy huffed, looking back and forth between the two wide-eyed boys, face still red. "Either that or… or we could find a different character for each of you and I'll just get a plastic scythe or something!?"

The boys both glared at each other again, but neither one wanted to relinquish the role to a plastic prop. They grumbled as they agreed to Levy's compromise, submitting to her as they always did. The rest of the group had been watching the scene with mirth, and now they started to crack up, not even trying to hide their laughter.

"Well perfect!" Lucy said, chuckling. "It's the perfect group costume! And this show is already so _spooky_ , it fits right in with Halloween!"

And thus, the group costume had been agreed upon, something that fit them all quite well ( _well,_ _perhaps besides the dual Soul, shared by Jet and Droy_ ), and which memorialized the Friday Anime Night tradition they'd nurtured over the years.

A slight hiccup had presented itself when they realized that, by next Halloween, Cana and Lisanna would both be graduated and out of the house. The two girls were a year older than the rest of the friends and they had plans to move away from Hargeon after college.

The setback had initially deflated Lucy, but now she just smiled as she thought about how you couldn't grow flowers without a little bit of rain. And just like her favorite gardenias, Lucy had watched as an amazing plan had blossomed into life.

The friends were going to make an entire trip of it, heading to Magnolia City to reunite with Cana and Lisanna for the weekend, and planning to take part in the many Halloween festivities the City promised to offer. This would be a fun way to kick off Senior year and it'd also be a special vacation for the friends, who had never travelled before as a group.

Neither Lucy nor Levy had ever been to the City before, in fact neither of them had done much travelling at all, so despite Levy's growing reservations towards the holiday after several years of odd occurrences, even she was thrilled to be making a night of it.

This year's Halloween was actually special for a large number of reasons. Lucy, having an avid interest in astronomy, knew that Halloween would have a Full Moon this year, and not only that, it would be a Hunter's Moon and a _Blue_ Moon. It was called a Hunter's Moon since this was the time of year when humans and animals alike gathered food to stock up for the dark months ahead. And a Blue Moon was the second Full Moon in one calendar month.

The first Full Moon of October had been October 1st, and thus the Full Moon on October 31st would be the second one, making it a Blue Moon. Ever heard the phrase _"Once in a Blue Moon?"_ It means something happening rarely, since it's rare for two Full Moons to be encapsulated within the same month.

And, _not only that_ , Daylight Savings Time would start November 1st. This meant that on Halloween night, when the clock struck 2:00 AM, it would be moved back an hour to 1:00 AM. A whole extra hour. Lucy shivered at the possibilities of this whole extra magical hour on the night of Halloween. Bars and clubs everywhere were already planning their own unique specials and performances for this "Magic Hour", when time would move backwards.

Yes, this year Halloween was the perfect storm of magical events. A Saturday night, a Full Blue Hunter's Moon, and an extra Magic Hour when they fell back for Daylight Savings Time in the early hours of Sunday morning. Add that to no school Monday and they'd be fools for not planning an extravagant three-day trip into the City, where the wildest parties would be.

Lucy was more excited than ever to get to spend this weekend with her friends, and she found herself wondering what kind of magic might be in store for _her_ this upcoming All Hallow's Eve, in the hustle and bustle of the Magnificent Magnolia City itself.

* * *

Gray walked through the aisles, glancing at the items that cluttered the shelves with only a passing interest. His Death the Kid costume was pretty much complete, he'd just grab some white hair paint on the way out. Levy and Lucy were on the other side of the store, still searching for a skirt for Levy's Maka costume and Gray sighed, somewhat bored. He would've rather spent his time elsewhere, on a Friday afternoon after class, but Natsu had dragged him here, as he always did. The boys fought constantly, but it was a testament to their friendship that Gray always came anyways when Natsu asked, even if he complained about it.

Natsu, speak of the devil, was playing nearby with a lighter and Gray frowned before walking over to him, intent on getting the idiot to stop before he burned the store down, even if it took a good punch or two.

Natsu seemed to pay no mind to Gray's approach, his eyes on the two girls across the store. They were still within eyesight, but Natsu was pretty sure they were too far away to hear anything.

"Natsu, you idiot, stop messing around," Gray grumbled, staring at the side of Natsu's face as he continued to watch the girls.

Gray's frown deepened, then he turned to look for himself.

"What are you doing? Stop stalking Lucy with your eyes, weirdo."

Natsu chuckled before turning to meet Gray's eyes with his own. Out of habit, he flicked his lighter open again, before flicking it closed just as quickly.

"I have something to show you," Natsu said, grinning wickedly, and Gray looked at him with new suspicion. When Natsu smiled like that, it was usually a bad sign that he was planning something stupid. But then again, he always looked a little crazy.

Before Gray could say another word, Natsu had pulled his phone out of his pocket and skimmed through the passcode quickly, opening up his gallery. He tapped on a screenshot, pulling it up to full screen, and shoved the phone in Gray's face.

Gray squinted, taking a minute to process what he was looking at. It was just a bunch of names, listened in a tournament bracket style, like they do for sports and stuff. A lot like March Madness brackets. Gray skimmed through some of the names, but he didn't recognize any.

"Natsu, what the heck is this? What are you trying to show me…?" he trailed off when he noticed that it was a screenshot of a web page, and then his eyes grew wider.

"Natsu, is this from _the dark web_?!" and Natsu sushed him loudly, glancing around them with a glare. No one was nearby, and the girls were still safely perusing the other end of the store.

"Not so loud, dumbass! I don't want anyone else knowing!"

"Dude, how the fuck did you even get on the dark web? Isn't it illegal?!" Gray whispered furiously, but Natsu was only grinning back at him again with that wild look in his eyes.

"It isn't illegal to visit pages there, Gray, just to like, buy shit. Anyways, doesn't matter, I did it securely. That's not the point. Just look at the list," Natsu said, pointing to the long list of bracketed names again and Gray stared at it much more cautiously now, knowing that if this was a page from the dark web something shady was going on. He read through it more carefully this time.

… Lyon, Skullion _(what kind of twisted name was that?),_ Salamander, Sol…

Wait…

Gray gasped, eyes wide, and turned to gape at the grinning pink-haired man in front of him. Natsu smoothly shut his phone off, shoving it back into his pocket and crossing his arms confidently as he watched Gray's face adopt a look of uncharacteristic shock for the usually suave man. The sight made Natsu laugh.

"You should see the look on your face!" he taunted, in a way that would normally start a brawl between them. Gray scowled in response, but didn't raise his fists to meet Natsu's bravado.

"Natsu, what the fuck was that?! What did you do?" Gray hissed at his friend, and Natsu continued to grin back, canines flashing.

"Come on, Gray, you know what that was. From weeks ago, remember? And you bet I wouldn't do it," he winked at Gray smugly, but Gray's scowl grew even darker.

"Natsu, you idiot, you're going to die! You're legit going to get yourself killed! Does Lucy know?"

For the first time, the smug expression on Natsu's face wavered and he glanced over again at the bobbing head of blonde hair on the other side of the store.

"Of course not, I'd never tell her. She'd be way too worried."

"And for good reason! You shouldn't go," Gray said firmly, eyes like ice. "Back out."

Natsu frowned back at him.

"No way, dude, it's too late anyways. The list is set. I had to call in a favor for this, no way I'm backing out now. It'll be fine dude, _chill_. And Lucy doesn't need to know, so don't tell her. I don't like keeping secrets from her but this… she would be upset."

Natsu looked slightly pained at the thought of hurting Lucy, but his mind was made up on this, and Gray could see there'd be no convincing the stubborn idiot.

Gray sighed.

"It's your funeral, dude. But you're right, Lucy can't know. I'll keep your secret but…" and here, Gray met Natsu's eyes with firm resolve. "I'm going with you."

Natsu stared back at him for a solid couple of seconds, neither boy backing down, but Natsu didn't protest. He nodded sharply, as if he'd been expecting that.

"Fair enough."

* * *

**_-Magnolia City-_ **

Gajeel was playing with his switchblade, swinging it through his hands with practiced ease. Ever since he was a kid, he'd often be found fiddling with one thing or another, his hands rarely idle. It was something that calmed his mind and helped him focus. Although, truth be told, he was only listening to the Master with half an ear, as the man wasn't discussing anything particularly relevant to himself at the moment.

José was standing behind a large mahogany desk at the head of the room, addressing the gathering of men in front of him in turn. It was a typical debriefing, with many of the higher ups in Phantom Lord. The group of about ten men was spread out before him, lounging in chairs or on sofas, some standing. Gajeel was towards the back, leaning against the arm of a beautifully crafted chaise longue, with ruby red upholstery and gold detailing.

Much of the furniture throughout the room was equally as elegant, spread out atop the plush crimson carpet that had deep purple geometric patterns swirling thoughout. The whole room was rich reds and glittering golds. Among the tastefully placed furniture was the occasional marble statue or antiquity cased in glass. Gilded paintings studded the walls. Glittering chandeliers hung above.

Anyone who entered the room might be awestruck by its finery, and agree that the designer had exquisite taste. But to Gajeel, it was far too opulent. It was a display of José's wealth. The man probably even likened himself to royalty. It was definitely much different from the minimalist-chic club below, which was fancy in its own way, but with an industrialist style.

José was dressed in his signature crushed velvet suit, this one dark red like the color of dried blood.

"Yes, well that _does_ prove to be inconvenient," the man hummed, in response to a comment Boze had just made. "I'm getting awfully tired of Sabertooth sticking their snout where it doesn't belong. They're starting to get a little inconvenient. Keep an eye out this weekend, I don't want any of their foul litter slipping through the cracks. Actually, speaking of annoyances, Gajeel –," and the man turned his gaze towards the dark figure at the back.

Gajeel looked up, meeting the Master's dark eyes with his sharp red ones.

"Gajeel, I'll need you to go South again, to that dreadful salty armpit of a town. Go tonight, check up on things. It's about time for another visit."

Gajeel frowned.

"Tonight?" He asked before he could help himself. José had already been turning to the next item on his list and he raised an eyebrow as he looked back to Gajeel, a little surprised that Gajeel had said anything at all. The man was usually awfully quiet at these meetings. José smiled, ready to humor him.

"Yes, _tonight_. Unless, you have _plans_?" José said with a sickly grin, a challenge in his eyes.

Gajeel hesitated, just as surprised by his own question. But he'd already spoken up, so it was a bit late to turn back.

"Nah," he said, clearing his throat. "'Course not. Ya usually send me on Halloween is all."

José frowned at that, thinking.

"Yes, yes, I suppose you'll be going a day early this year. But it hardly matters. I require you to be back by tomorrow. As you all know, there is quite a bit of money, and numerous _investments,_ riding on the fight this year. I need you around, Gajeel, to keep an eye on things and step in if needed. If for some godforsaken reason our man doesn't reach the finals, or if _anything_ doesn't go as planned, _you_ will take care of it. I'm trusting that you understand what this entails."

Gajeel grunted in response, signalling that he understood.

"On that topic, Totomaru, how are the final preparations going? Almost done I should hope?" José said, moving his attention to a tall man closer to the desk, whose hair was evenly divided between black and white.

Gajeel was left pondering his own thoughts as the conversation moved on. It looked like he'd be going to Hargeon a day early so… _not_ on Halloween.

For the first time in three years he wouldn't be in Hargeon on the holiday, and he wondered if this break in tradition meant he wouldn't get a chance to see the bluenette again. But he quickly scowled at his own thoughts. He wasn't planning on ever seeing her again anyways, right?

He needed to forget about her, even though that had proven challenging over the past year. It was hard to keep something from your mind when you were actively trying to. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't prevent images of her from flitting through his head. The way her eyes shined, the way her curls bounced. The light dusting of freckles across her nose, and the way they were hidden when she blushed deeply.

Even shadows of her would dance at the edges of his dreams. She was haunting him in a way, and he knew allowing it to continue was a luxury he couldn't indulge. She did not fit into his life.

So this was for the best. He'd be in and out before the accursed night even began, and he'd make sure to never meet the pretty girl again. The next time José needed a man to go to Hargeon, he'd even ask someone else to do it, just to ensure he never went back. For now, he'd keep the promise he made to himself last year, and if he happened to see her, he'd walk away without a word.

It was about time the curse was broken. He needed to move on with his life.

* * *

**_-Hargeon Town-_ **

"Levy! This is it! This one is perfect!" Lucy cried, holding up a pleated mini skirt with a red and black plaid pattern.

Levy swiftly popped her head out from around the corner, a relieved grin on her face.

"Finally! I'm so ready to be done with this!" She cried, rushing over to grab the skirt from Lucy.

"Ugh, me too. Okay, go try it on real quick, we should make sure it fits," Lucy said. Levy nodded and bounded off towards the dressing rooms.

"Natsu! Gray!" Lucy called, waving a hand in the air to call the boys over. They'd been loitering around on the other side of the store, looking moody, and Lucy figured they were ready to leave just as much as she and Levy were. At least they hadn't started a brawl over something silly. Lucy frowned slightly. In fact, it was almost odd that they _hadn't_ started fighting yet. Were they acting weird?

"Luce!" Natsu said, rushing over before she could think more on it and swinging Lucy up into his arms, spinning her around in a circle. Lucy was giggling and blushing as she swatted at him playfully to let her down, but secretly she was more than happy to be held by him.

Gray followed more slowly, approaching them as Natsu finally set the flustered girl down, grinning madly and putting an arm casually around her shoulders. Lucy had no idea how he could be so cavalier about touching her, since they were just friends despite her secret wishes. He was always like this, never ashamed to touch her in ways that almost made her think they _were_ dating, despite her brain telling her otherwise. It was just Natsu being Natsu, being the confident oddball he always was. She was just happy he didn't seem to do this with other girls. She hoped that maybe that made their friendship more special. If only it wasn't just friendship…

"Luce, are we good to go?" Natsu asked, smiling down at her, and his proximity made her heart race.

"Mhmm, I think so," she said, trying to slow her heart. "Levy is trying a skirt on real quick, but it's the best one we've found so far. Hopefully this'll be it, we should just grab some white hair paint for Gray on the way out still."

Just then, a slight cough turned their heads towards the dressing rooms where they saw Levy standing timidly. Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"Well… it's a bit short, huh?" Lucy said, while Natsu snorted with laughter. Even Gray's mood lifted slightly, at the sight of his friend blushing madly and tugging at the hem of her skirt.

"Yeah, I know, it is pretty short, huh," Levy said. "There didn't happen to be a larger size, right? Or a longer one…?" she asked, but Lucy was shaking her head, large grin plastered on her face.

"Sorry, Levy, that was the only one. But honestly, it isn't that bad."

"Yeah, _Soul_ is gonna _love_ it!" Natsu teased, prompting a mortified look to spread on Levy's face and she groaned. Gray chuckled.

"You mean, _both_ Souls, huh?" He said with a wink.

"Ugh, kill me now!" Levy cried throwing her hands up in the air and stomping back towards the dressing rooms. Lucy laughed as she slipped out from under Natsu's arm and followed her friend.

"Come on, it'll be fine," she said, reassuring Levy as they walked to the room together. "Let's just get it and go. You'll be wearing a long cloak over it anyways so I doubt anyone will notice."

Lucy leaned in conspiratorially, hand over her mouth as she whispered, "We can always try to lose Jet and Droy anyways, if they get too suffocating."

Levy barked with laughter as Lucy winked at her, and she nodded in agreement.

"Okay, deal. That might be necessary…"

"Plus, who knows? Maybe a certain _mystery man_ will make another late night appearance? For the fourth time in a row?" Lucy said, wiggling her eyebrows and Levy blushed deeply at the mention of Gajeel.

"Lu-chan! Stop joking around!" she cried, smiling anyways as she playfully jabbed an elbow at the laughing blonde. "I _refuse_ to ever meet that ridiculous man again. Anyways, we'll be going to Magnolia City this year. I don't know anything about him but I've only ever seen him here. What are the odds he'd be several hundred of miles away on the _same_ night?"

"I suppose those odds are once in a blue moon," Lucy replied, unable to keep the shit-eating grin from her face as Levy groaned, quite aware of the magical Hunter's Blue Moon Lucy had been raving about for the past month.

"Regardless of that, it's not gonna happen, even if you want it to!" Levy retorted, turning from Lucy to slip back into the dressing room and change out of the somewhat scandalously short skirt. At least she'd be wearing something over it, as Lucy had said.

"Whatever you say, Levy!" Lucy called after her. "Guess we'll see!"

* * *

Gajeel sped through Hargeon's streets, his shiny black Corvette streaking through the night. The town looked exactly as it had a year ago, with hardly a leaf out of place. The familiar streets were bringing back unwelcome memories that he pushed down with a glare.

In and out. It was simple. Just avoid Hawthorne Street, the Blue House (now heavily armed), and _ALL_ convenience stores. If he ran out of cigarettes, he'd just have to suffer until he was back in Magnolia. He'd brought three extra packs with him anyways, just to be sure.

Plus, it wasn't even Halloween. It was the night before.

He turned his music up a notch higher as he continued to drive, street lights flashing overhead, leaves whirling in his wake.

* * *

The four friends were back in Lucy's car, driving home, their mission a success. They had plans with the gang to watch one more episode of Soul Eater tonight. It was Friday, after all, and it would be in the spirit of things. Of course, they'd be missing Lisanna and Cana tonight, but the two girls were going to watch the same episode and they could all discuss tomorrow when they were reunited.

Lucy grinned, feeling the cool breeze on her cheeks, what with the windows down. Begrudgingly, she really did like having her own car.

Levy sat on the passenger side, next to her best friend, and Natsu and Gray were oddly silent in the back seat.

Lucy glanced at them in the rearview mirror. She couldn't put a finger on it, but they were acting weird ever since leaving the store. Natsu not as much, with his wide enigmatic grin plastered on as usual, but he seemed a little distracted, lost in his thoughts, which was a bit unlike him. Gray too was staring out the window, quiet. Sure, he was always dark and moody but now it felt a little… extra? Normally they'd be fighting by now, not staring off into space.

Levy was turned towards the window as well, watching the buildings as they passed. Some kind of pop-y Halloween music was playing on the radio, something Lucy had put on. Levy propped her crossed arms in the open window, resting her chin on them and closing her eyes. She always did love the way the wind rushed through her hair.

Levy was never one to get car sick. In fact, she loved all forms of transportation. Car rides and train trips excited her. It was something about the promise of an adventure, the open road ahead, the feeling of being in motion again. It was the most extraordinary thing in the world.

Levy opened her eyes into slits, blearily watching the cars across the way, which were going in the opposite direction. She wasn't paying all that much attention, but suddenly a streak of black caused her breath to hitch.

Wide eyed she whipped her head up as she watched the car speed away, already disappearing in the distance, taillights glowing. Had that been… a black Corvette? Levy blinked and rubbed her eyes, straining to look where the car had gone, but now it was nothing but darkness.

Lucy looked over at her friend, drawn by her sudden movements.

"Levy? Everything okay?" She asked.

"Uhm, yeah. It was nothing…" Levy said, distracted. "I just… I thought I saw something is all. But… it was nothing. Just a shadow."

Lucy shrugged and kept driving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Close encounters on the interstate! But it isn't Halloween yet, so guess they gotta wait!
> 
> For the record, everything mentioned about Halloween was true for this year. Halloween was on a Saturday, it really was a Hunter's Blue Moon, and Daylight Savings Time caused us to fall back at 2 AM on Sunday November 1st (for those of us that live in places with Daylight Savings Time that is). As you might've guessed, this AU is set in a world without a global pandemic, otherwise the story would be going in a much different direction.
> 
> Obviously, Covid is a shame for many reasons and I hope that everyone reading this is doing well and staying healthy and safe. This extends to all of your friends and family as well.
> 
> I thought it'd be fun to share some of the music I've been listening to while writing and planning this fic. To start, it was an 80s vibe for this chapter~
> 
> Check out "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins for a moody vibe and David Guetta's new synthwave track, "Let's Love," featuring some pop-y vocals by Sia. Just imagine Levy and Gajeel in an 80s flick, with dancing, drama, and driving down the highway in Gajeel's vintage Corvette, Levy's head in his lap as she stares at the stars.
> 
> Also, A Fun Fact: The part where Levy is thinking about how she loves the feeling of being in motion again, I took that from a Mountain Goats song, called "Going to Georgia." The lyrics are, "The most remarkable thing about coming home to you is the feeling of being in motion again. It's the most extraordinary thing in the world." I just love the way John Darnielle says that.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Cheers!~


	5. The Morning Of

**_Saturday, October 31st_ _, 2020_ **

**_-Somewhere between Hargeon Town and Magnolia City-_ **

Levy stumbled slightly with the movements of the train as she made her way carefully down the corridor, two steaming cups of hot coffee balanced in her hands.

To her right were rows of closed doors, leading to presumably inhabited cabins that lined the train car. And to her left, long windows ran the entire length of the corridor, revealing gorgeous views beyond.

About 400 miles of dense forests and lush landscape separated Hargeon Town, which was located along the sea, and Magnolia City, the booming metropolis closer to the heart of Fiore. By car, the distance took roughly five to six hours to travel, depending on traffic and weather conditions. The train was roughly the same, possibly a little longer. They had to make one stop before reaching the City, which would add time to the trip.

The train had departed at precisely 7:30 AM, and glancing at the clock on the wall now, Levy saw it was close to 11 AM. So, roughly over halfway? Hopefully they'd be pulling into Magnolia City at 1:45 PM, the scheduled arrival time.

The sun was shining brightly above and the illuminated pastures they were passing took Levy's breath away, what with their golden glow. She grinned widely as she continued her wobbly way down the corridor. She certainly did love travelling.

Reaching their compartment, Levy used an elbow to nudge the door open, conscious of the coffee cups she held, filled to the brim and in danger of spilling.

Lucy looked up as Levy squeezed her way in, all of the girl's concentration on the hot beverages in her hands. Lucy leaned forward to take one of the cups from Levy, wishing she could get up to help more, but unable to move further due to the weight in her lap.

"Here, Levy, let me take one of those," she said softly.

Levy nodded and gratefully deposited one of the hazardous drinks into her friend's reaching grasp, happy to have only one to worry about now. She carefully made her way to her seat, next to the window and across from Lucy. She sat down and leaned forward to blow on her coffee, before taking a sip.

Levy hummed in contentment as the taste of her favorite drink washed over her, and her hum was met with Lucy's own.

Lucy looked over at Levy, smiling.

"Thanks, Lev," she said, still with a hushed tone, and Levy smiled back brightly.

"No problem, Lu-chan," she said softly. "I really needed it too."

Lucy nodded in agreement, both girls thinking back to the little sleep they'd gotten the night before.

The friends had stayed up late, watching Soul Eater and messing around, until Levy had noticed it was already past one in the morning and she'd kicked everyone out, reminding them to meet at the train station _promptly_ at 7 AM.

But then both girls had stayed up even later, finishing up their packing, so they'd only been able to squeeze in about three hours of sleep, maybe less.

Levy looked up from her coffee to gaze out the window again. The pastures continued on this side of the tracks, spreading into the horizon like fields of honey. In the distance, an unnamed forest could be seen, and behind it the beginnings of a mountain range spread further into the horizon. The skies above were a crystal clear blue, dotted with the occasional fluffy cloud, and Levy couldn't get over how picturesque the scene was. Like something from a fairy tale, something only one of her books could have conjured up.

Lucy watched out the window as well, just as awestruck as Levy. The train's movements were smooth, with only the occasional rattle, and Lucy was grateful for the steaming coffee in her hands, since otherwise she might've dozed off. And maybe she should have tried to get some more sleep, especially after last night, but she knew both she and Levy were too nervous and excited to be on the road to let themselves pass out. The views were too beautiful to miss.

The train didn't bother her, but unfortunately not everyone was so lucky, and Lucy glanced down at the head of pink hair that rested in her lap, flushing lightly at the sight. Natsu got horrible motion sickness. As soon as they'd boarded the train he'd swallowed down a handful of sleeping pills, hoping to just pass out and get the trip over with as quickly as possible. Somehow he'd ended up using Lucy's lap as a pillow, and while Lucy would adamantly deny with much embarrassment that she enjoyed it, she definitely did.

She looked down at his peaceful features, soft hair moving gently with the motions of the train. He winced slightly in his sleep and turned his head a bit, snuggling his face further into her stomach. Lucy blushed. His hair looked so silky, she kinda wanted to run her hands through it…

Lucy looked up to see Levy staring at her with a smug grin. Lucy's face ignited, having been caught staring at Natsu and she flitted her eyes to the window, unable to meet Levy's eyes.

"Ya know, you could probably push him off if you wanted to," Levy said, grin apparent in her voice. "But I think we both know you don't want to, huh," she continued, chuckling and taking another sip of coffee.

To Levy's left, on the bench beside her, Jet and Droy were both passed out as well. Jet was leaning against the cabin wall next to the door, and Droy was leaning against Jet's shoulder, drooling slightly. Across from them and on the other side of the slumped over Natsu, Gray sat with his head leaning back, arms crossed but snoring softly to indicate he was asleep as well.

Yes, other than Levy and Lucy, everyone in the train cabin was asleep, and they giggled softly as they looked around at their sleeping friends.

"I don't know how they can do that," Levy said, sipping her drink and looking back at Lucy. "I, for one, am a pent up bundle of nerves! I'm just so excited to be travelling by train, and I've never been somewhere as big as Magnolia City before. I wonder what it will be like?"

Lucy nodded, agreeing with her friend.

"I've been to Magnolia City actually," Lucy said thoughtfully, "Once when I was quite young. But I was so young I don't count it, I don't even remember anything from that trip. It was back when…"

Lucy faltered and Levy looked at her friend sympathetically.

"It's okay, Lucy, you don't need to say it," she said and Lucy hummed.

"But I do kind of want to say something about the _boy_ in your lap," Levy snickered, causing her friend to blush again. "Come on Lucy, you're practically _dating_ the guy, I mean _look_ at that," Levy said, gesturing to Natsu, but Lucy was shaking her head.

"But it's not official, Levy, you know that. We're still just _friends_ ," she said, looking mournful.

Levy sighed.

"Maybe you should try talking to him about it," she said. "You've gotten _so_ close with each other these past four years. I mean, you haven't _kissed_ yet, or don't anything physical, but on every other level you're practically dating. I've never seen Natsu so connected with anyone before. He's probably too thickheaded to think about asking you out, he might not even realize how close you've gotten. Maybe just talking to him about it would be good."

"And ruin what we have? Levy, what if Natsu just wants to _stay_ friends? I don't want to risk losing him, on any level, and… well… what if I bring it up and he doesn't… like me back? What if he gets disgusted and doesn't even want to look at me ever again?" Lucy said, feeling her eyes prickle at the thought. She sniffed and rubbed at them, trying not to cry.

Levy looked at her friend with deep sadness, understanding what she meant. But as an outside observer, she could also see the way that Natsu looked at Lucy, and she figured that had to mean something.

"Lucy, Natsu would _never_ do that to you. It's obvious that he cares about you, it's obvious that you guys have something special. Natsu can be oblivious, but he'd never be mean. I genuinely can't see him ever thinking you're disgusting, or wanting nothing to do with you. These are baseless worries, Lu-chan," Levy said reassuringly and the blonde nodded along with her words, but she wasn't convinced. She sighed.

"I don't know, Levy, I just… I don't want to ruin things," she said, and Levy met her eyes sagely.

"Well maybe an opportunity will present itself tonight to bring some of this up with him," Levy said with a slight smile. "As we both know, alcohol can be a great help," and she winked at Lucy who just laughed softly.

"Well what about you, Levy? Anyone you want to be having a special chat with tonight?" she asked with a wink, and Levy found herself blushing slightly as the spotlight moved to her.

"Uhm, no, definitely not," she replied hastily.

"Not even with your _Soul_?" Lucy said with a chuckle and Levy rolled her eyes.

"Don't even get me started on _that_ …," she said, motioning to the sleeping boys to her left, both still passed out. Droy's drool was starting to leave a wet spot on Jet's jacket.

"I just… ugh. I can't even deal with them. I definitely won't be meeting anyone new with them around," she said frowning and taking another sip of her coffee.

Lucy hummed in agreement, sympathetic towards her friend's plight.

"Well what about Gajeel?" she asked and Levy spit out her coffee at the mention of his name, prompting Lucy to laugh a little more loudly.

"Shhh!" Levy hissed, looking around at the sleeping boys in the cabin. Luckily none of them had seemed to have noticed the slight commotion. Gray grunted and turned his head a bit, causing Levy to freeze, but then his soft snores continued and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. They were all still pleasantly tucked away in their slumber, and none of them had heard Lucy's mention of the man. Levy turned, glaring lightly at Lucy, who was still laughing behind her hand.

"Don't talk about him!" Levy said softly, patting at the coffee stain now on her jeans. "I really doubt I'll ever see him again anyways. I don't know anything about him! I don't even know where he lives or what he does! What are the odds he'd even be in Magnolia City! And don't! –," Levy cried, seeing Lucy's mouth begin to open, "- don't say those odds are 'once in a blue moon!'"

Lucy simply chuckled, having been cut off, and met her friend's heated gaze with a smile in her own.

"Well I'm simply stating facts, you know? It's such a magical moon, it's actually out right now, we just can't see it," Lucy said, looking out the window again. "Did you know we won't have another Blue Moon until August of 2023? Well, a calendrical one that is. There will be a seasonal one next year but… I'm ranting, aren't I," she said, smiling at Levy, who didn't mind. Lucy's passion for astronomy was something the bluenette found admirable. She loved seeing other people passionate about things, and she loved indulging in their passions with them.

"I don't mind you talking about it, Lucy, it's pretty cool," Levy said. "But what a _do_ mind -," and here she quirked an eyebrow at her friend. "- I _do_ mind you teasing me about something that just isn't going to happen! In fact, I'm so certain I will never see Gajeel again, why don't we bet on it."

Lucy and Levy smiled at each other devilishly.

"I'll bet on that," Lucy said, mischievous grin on her face.

"Okay, if I win the bet, which I will," Levy said smirking, "then you'll need to ask Natsu out."

Lucy blanched at these terms and glanced down again at the cute boy whose head was snuggled up against her legs. She gulped. But Lucy wasn't one to back down from a challenge so she met Levy's eyes and nodded her head firmly.

"Alright, fine. But what if _I_ win?" she asked, and Levy shrugged, looking uncertain.

"What do you want?" she asked, not sure if she should be asking that.

"Hmm," Lucy said, finger to her chin. "If I win… which I _will_ -,"

Levy scoffed.

"- and if you do in fact see Gajeel again tonight," Lucy continued, unperturbed by the scoff. "Then… oh!" Lucy's eyes widened and she looked at Levy with a devilish smirk. Levy didn't like it.

"Then I dare you to kiss him!" Lucy said and Levy recoiled, gasping loudly. She froze as Droy grunted next to her, but luckily he just repositioned, and didn't wake up.

" _What?_ " she breathed, incredulous. "Lucy, are you out of your mind?!"

"No! I'm serious! If I've won it will mean that you _have_ run into him again, so it will be the perfect chance! Come on Levy, don't tell me you don't want to!" Lucy teased causing a bright blush to blossom on Levy's cheeks. The blush itself was all the answer Lucy needed and she cackled at her own evil thoughts.

"But Lucy!" Levy whined quietly, "I didn't dare you to _kiss_ Natsu! Just ask him out!"

"Well yeah but, do you really want to ask Gajeel out?" Lucy replied and Levy's blush deepened.

The thought of Gajeel on a _date_ suddenly made her snort with laughter. It was too ridiculous, she couldn't imagine the serious man getting all dressed up and doing something silly like giving her flowers. What a thought!

"Okay, okay, you're right, Gajeel would never go on a date with me," she snickered. "But oh god, a kiss."

Levy put her hands up to cup her heated cheeks, thinking about it.

"I've never kissed anyone before, Lu-chan. I just don't meet many guys, and when I do, at parties, Jet and Droy are always there and…," she looked up at her friend, who was grinning back knowingly.

"What do you have to lose, Levy? You're the one who insists you'll never see him again. And even if you _do_ , and even if you _kiss_ , who's to say _that_ won't be the last time you see him? If you really don't want to keep running into this mysterious Devil of yours, then I'm sure you won't. It's not like you're actually haunted, or destined to be together or something. It's just been crazy coincidence."

Levy nodded along to what Lucy was saying, agreeing. It really was just quite crazy.

"If you really don't want to kiss him, Levy, I won't make you. But then the bet would be off."

Levy thought about it. On the one hand, the thought of kissing Gajeel terrified her. But, not necessarily in an entirely _bad_ way. She realized that thinking about it made her insides twist a little, something she couldn't explain, and something she'd never felt before when thinking about anyone else.

But on the other hand, Levy genuinely didn't think she'd see him, and therefore she was confident she'd win this bet, and she was more than excited to see Lucy and Natsu become official. They'd been dancing around dating for years and it was definitely time for one of them to speak up. She nodded to herself, making her decision.

"The bet is on," she said, meeting Lucy's grinning eyes with her own. "But I'm sure I'll win Lucy, despite your magical moon, so just be prepared to ask Natsu out!"

"Shh!" Lucy said, giggling, glancing down at him once more and this time allowing herself to lightly brush a lock of hair from his face.

"Alright, alright, deal," she said with a smile. "But don't say it out loud again, please. And you should be the one preparing, Levy! To eat your words! Say 'Hi' to Gajeel for me, when you see him!"

Levy rolled her eyes but found herself smiling as she turned to the window, sipping once more at the slowly cooling beverage in her hands.

Around them, the train continued its journey forward and the boys continued their quiet naps, completely oblivious to the deal that had been made beside them.

Natsu, knocked out from sleeping pills and the motion sickness nausea that made him unconscious anyways, simply snuggled once more into the warmth he found himself embraced in, trying to ignore everything else and focus entirely on that. This soft, golden glow of warmth, that smelled like his favorite person in the whole world, and kept the nausea just a little bit more at bay.

Levy got one of her books out and curled her legs underneath herself, content to read the rest of the way, and Lucy got out her notebook to doodle and jot thoughts down for a novel idea she was playing with.

But both girls found themselves slightly distracted within their thoughts, the bet at the forefront of their minds. Both were convinced that they would win it, and they were pleased with not only the promise of victory, but also the outcome their victory would entail for the other.

If Levy won, and she didn't run into Gajeel, then Lucy would have to finally ask Natsu out. However, if Lucy won, and Levy somehow ran into the Devil once more, then she'd have to kiss him. Both desperately wanted to win.

But, for some weird contradictory reason, a small thought at the back of both girl's minds existed that kind of hoped they'd lose…

* * *

**_-Magnolia City-_ **

The glass doors swung open with vigor and Gajeel's mouth twitched into a grin as the familiar smell of the gym washed over him. Well, _stench_ might have been a more accurate term, since the whole place reeked of sweaty bodies and chalk. Gajeel loved it anyway and he strode forth into the dimly lit space, quite comfortable with the way to the locker rooms.

On route, he passed by many familiar faces, lifting weights or grappling with punching bags. A couple of them called out to him in greeting, and he grunted in return, but didn't say much else. Gajeel was known around here to be a man of few words, and the other men were happy to limit their associations with him. After all, Gajeel had a bit of a reputation.

He'd practically grown up in this gym and he'd been around much longer than most of the other guys, but he was also someone you didn't want to mess with. Most of them didn't know the specifics of his line of work, but the rumors made it pretty clear that Gajeel was better left alone.

And he didn't mind that. Gajeel appreciated his solitude. He wasn't skilled at making friends, and it was better not to be friends with someone in case he had to defeat them in the Ring or possibly worse. Who knew what José would ask of him. Better to not be friends with anyone so if one day he found that he was their executioner, he wouldn't hesitate.

But begrudgingly, Gajeel did have a couple people who had weaseled their way into his heart, who he supposed _could_ be considered friends, even if he wasn't good at expressing that to them. But they knew, without him needing to say anything. They knew. And that's why they had earned that spot in his life to begin with, and that was more than enough for him.

Gajeel walked into the locker room, dropping his black duffel bag down on one of the benches and un-zippering it. He swiftly changed into a pair of shorts and a plain black t-shirt, pulling his long hair back into a low ponytail. Grapping some tape and his gloves he sauntered back into the gym, choosing his favorite corner in the back.

A man who'd been nearby surreptitiously left after a minute or two and Gajeel smiled, happy to have his privacy. He was wrapping his hands when this newfound privacy was rattled by the sound of someone approaching and Gajeel's smile turned sour. He glared over his shoulder, but he already knew who it was without needing to look.

"What's with the glare Gajeel, aren't you happy to see me?" the approaching man laughed, and Gajeel turned back to wrapping his hands with tape and gauze, scoffing.

"'Sup, Lil," he said, and Lily leaned against a piece of lifting equipment to Gajeel's left, smiling widely as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Lily was a large man, almost as tall as Gajeel, with similarly impressive muscles. He was several years older though, and one of the few people at the gym who had been there longer than Gajeel had.

Unlike Gajeel, Lily was sociable and well-liked by all. He was usually there in the mornings, before he had to go to work, but he also frequently taught boxing to youth groups on weekends. Considering it was a Saturday, Gajeel had expected to see him here.

And despite Gajeel's gruff attitude, glaring upon his arrival, internally Gajeel always enjoyed seeing Lily. He was one of those rare friends Gajeel had, one of two, and he'd been in his life a long time. In fact, Gajeel had once been one of the youth Lily taught, even though at the time Lily had only been a few years his senior. It would be no surprise then that this was one of the reasons Gajeel hadn't been too respectful of him at first. They'd had a rocky start.

But Lily was wiser beyond his years, and he'd seen past the youth acting out in front of him, to who Gajeel truly was. Lily was far more perceptive than most people thought. He'd seen Gajeel, really seen him, and he'd stayed. Over the years, through thick and thin, he'd stayed.

Gajeel figured that he owed the man his life. He didn't know how a person could even begin to repay a debt like that. So the least he could do was humor him, when he came over to say 'hi.'

"How's it going, Gajeel? Didn't see you here yesterday," Lily said conversationally, as Gajeel finished up wrapping his hands.

"Had ta work," he grunted, to which Lily responded with an "Ah."

Lily was one of the few people who knew what Gajeel did. He didn't approve, but he couldn't do anything about it either. He knew Gajeel was between a rock and a hard place. He often found himself wishing he could do more, worrying about his friend. But he didn't push him now to explain.

"Well good to see you back then. I've got a group right on the other side of the gym, I'm running them through some drills. I'm sure they'd love to get a personal lesson from a legend like yourself," Lily said, grinning at Gajeel.

"I don't do kids, Lil," Gajeel scowled, knowing Lily was teasing him. Lily just shrugged.

"Well you'd be more than welcome to come over and say 'hi' if you change your mind. Will you be sticking around long after this? Care to do a little sparring?"

"Nah, can't stay too long," Gajeel grunted. "Only got time fer some warmin' up. Need ta be ready fer tonight."

Lily frowned.

"Tonight? Wait, Gajeel you're not involved in the fight this year, are you?" he asked with concern.

His concern deepened when Gajeel simply grunted in response but wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Gajeel, you shouldn't have to be fighting for him. Not anymore. I thought that was behind you," Lily said, and Gajeel finally looking up at him.

"It is," he said, and Lily frowned further, confused.

"I mean, I'm not on the list. But if somethin' goes wrong, I step in. Its House Rules, José runs the show. Ya know I don't got a choice, Lil. It'll be fine, since I won't be on the front lines. Don't worry 'bout it."

Lily's concern ebbed a little as he nodded, understanding the situation better now. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than he had thought.

"Listen, Gajeel. I can't say I understand, or even want to understand, the entire situation, but I also don't approve of the underground fight clubs. I've been hearing whispers that even Sabertooth are getting involved, is that true?" Lily asked conspiratorially.

Gajeel wouldn't answer, just grunted in response. Lily sighed, used to his friend of few words.

"Alright, but just… please use caution. And you can always call me, if you need to. I've got your back."

Gajeel raised his eyes to meet Lily's, which were shining back at him, filled with strength. He knew it was true, too. Lily was incredibly loyal and always had been. But he also knew he'd never call him.

Gajeel simply grunted again and turned back to his hands, finishing up and grabbing his gloves.

Lily chuckled, knowing Gajeel had said 'thanks,' even if he hadn't said it with words.

"I've got a class to get back to Gajeel, but I'm glad I got a chance to see you. Come on over if you want to get a glimpse of the next generation," he said with a wink.

"See ya, Lil'," Gajeel said, already fitting his gloves onto his hands and turning towards the punching bag in front of him.

Lily raised his hand in a goodbye gesture as he walked away, smiling to himself. Inside, a little bit of concern for his friend still lingered. Lily had a fair idea of how bad the underground fighting scene had become over the last few years. Its popularity, especially among the criminally involved Guilds that ran the city's underworld, had been increasing.

He could also feel its ripple effects in the gym. Even among his youth groups whispers of the scene could be heard, and he worried for the boys in his care. It was little surprise that they knew about it, many of them had come from the streets, but that was also why they needed to be protected.

Lily knew Gajeel didn't need his protection. He was sick of seeing José use Gajeel to fight his battles, but it was a game that he knew Gajeel had learned to navigate with ease, and he had complete faith that Gajeel could take care of himself. He'd managed thus far fairly unscathed, which said something. He also knew his way around a fight, even an illegal one, where the rules didn't matter.

Lily knew Gajeel would likely be alright, especially if he wasn't a main fighter. It'd be best if he didn't have to step in at all. Hopefully that would be the case.

Regardless, there was nothing Lily could do. He couldn't tell Gajeel what to do, and he certainly couldn't storm up to José Porla and tell _him_ what to do, even though most days he had an itch to do just that. He was tired of seeing Gajeel be José's lap dog. It was time those tables were turned.

In the meantime, he had a class of inner city youth to wrangle and Lily just shook his head as he strode back to where he'd left them, picking up his pace as he could already hear a scuffle breaking out. Those kids! But it made him smile, thinking back to the ruffian he'd just talked to. Gajeel used to be the one that would always instigate a scuffle.

Gajeel watched Lily leave from the corner of his eyes, shoving the gloves over his hands tightly. He turned to the bag in front of him and began going through warm up drills. He'd done these so often, they were ingrained in his muscle memory as deeply as the knowledge of how to walk.

Gajeel had always had too much energy. As a child, he was the one who couldn't sit still or pay attention in class. Always fidgeting, or skipping entirely. His rough childhood had predisposed him to becoming a troublemaker. After school, you'd be more likely to find him beating a kid up in the halls than studying or doing homework in the library. Most people quickly gave up on him, called him a lost cause.

He'd been forced to come to the youth classes at the gym, but honestly he spent months trying to get out of them, purely out of spite. But when he did finally come, and started to learn, he was a natural.

Ever since, Gajeel had spent hours honing his techniques and abilities in the gym. He was a skilled boxer. He could hold his own against nearly anyone, his physical build lending itself to the sport nicely. He'd learned wrestling, kickboxing, muay thai. He'd even dabbled in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He had to admit, the eastern martial arts fighting styles were pretty cool. But he was best at boxing.

Gajeel kept running through the motions. He could feel his heart pumping, the blood rushing through his veins. The prickle of his skin, goosebumps rippling. The air coming in, then out, as his breathing grew steady, focused. He put all of his attention in that, the feeling of his body. It was just him. And the bag. He narrowed his eyes at it, moving with practiced ease. Just him. And the bag. No Phantom Lord, no José. No Sabertooth, or Magnolia City. No one else in the gym. No Levy. Just him. And the bag.

Gajeel grinned as he got into his groove, feeling alive. This was true power, and he loved the feeling of being in motion again. It was the most glorious thing in the world.

* * *

The train let out a loud whistle as it pulled into the station just outside Magnolia City. The noise, as well as the tangible feeling of slowing down, woke the four boys who'd managed to sleep practically the entire six hours it took to travel from Hargeon Town to Magnolia City.

Levy and Lucy were chatting amongst themselves and gathering up their things as each of the boys came to, taking a moment to come to their senses.

Jet groaned as he lifted himself from where he'd slumped against the wall. He must have slept with his neck at an awkward angle, and its soreness caused him to wince as he tried sitting up. But he couldn't and he realized that a large weight was pressing into his right side, preventing him from moving. He frowned as he realized it was Droy, still in fact snoring and drooling on him.

Droy had been having a pleasant dream about visiting a late night, all-you-can-eat diner with Levy. He'd just been about to get a slice of cherry pie, when Levy was suddenly shaking his shoulders, yelling at him with Jet's voice. Droy winced as he opened his bleary eyes, lighting barging in on his senses. Jet was still shaking him angrily, something about a drool stain, and he yawned as he sat up and looked around, stretching his arms above his head.

Gray had in fact woken up a little bit ago. Only about thirty minutes or so, but he'd allowed himself to stay in the same position, eyes closed, head back, simply listening to the noises of the train around him, and Levy and Lucy's conversation. They'd been talking softly about a book Levy was reading, and while the two girls clearly held passion for the subject, Gray had found himself quite bored. He was happy when the whistle alerted him that the trip was over. He didn't have bad motion sickness the same way as Natsu, but he didn't necessarily enjoy long stretches of sitting in confined spaces. Just the thought had him pulling at the collar of his shirt.

Natsu was the last to wake, and only when the train had fully stopped. The golden warmth he'd been enjoying the entire trip had suddenly vanished and he frowned deeply at this. Also, the nausea he'd barely managed to keep at bay was nudging back at him more strongly again, even though he could tell as he became more aware of his surroundings that the train wasn't moving anymore. The nausea would remain as long as he was on this accursed beast and he was itching to get off as quickly as possible.

Right before the train had pulled in, Lucy had finally moved Natsu's head from her lap and settled him onto the seat. She'd done it reluctantly, but she didn't want any of the other boys to see him sleeping like that, or even for him to wake up and find himself like that. She wasn't sure if he'd be entirely pleased that he'd accidentally slept in her lap the whole way. But then again, Natsu was so much more comfortable with these things than she was, maybe she was just worrying too much.

She moved to stand up, her legs badly cramped after being seated for so long. She groaned as she stretched, reaching her hands high above her head.

The two girls began packing up their things and chatting excitedly about getting to the hotel, as the boys around them came to life.

"Droy! Get off me! Eww, you drooled on me!" Jet was complaining, shaking a groggy Droy and trying to tug his jacket with the drool off. Levy chuckled at the sight of her two friends bickering. She really did love them, despite her occasional grievances.

"This is perfect," Lucy was saying, stacking their coffee cups and putting them in a side pocket of her bag. "We got here right on time. It's 1:45 PM exactly."

"Trust trains to always run on time," Levy said, reaching up to grab her own bag from the rack above. She had to jump slightly to do it, but she caught a strap and was able to haul it down.

"Where exactly is the hotel you booked, Lucy? We'll probably need to get two cabs, our group is so big," she said, thinking aloud.

Before Lucy had a chance to reply, a loud message was broadcast throughout the train.

" _We have reached our final destination, Magnolia City. All passengers are required to disembark here. Please ensure you have gathered all of your belongings as you exit your cabin. Thank you for choosing to ride with us today, we hope you enjoy Magnolia City and look forward to travelling with you again soon."_

Immediately Natsu whooped loudly, leaping up from the bench he'd been dying on only moments prior. The friends watched in shock as in milliseconds he had grabbed both his bag from the racks above and Lucy's hand, and quickly raced out the cabin with a stunned Lucy in tow. She barely had time to grab her own bag before he'd pulled her out with him. She cried out in shock as she found herself running to keep up with him, his hand firmly clamped around her own, but she was soon smiling breathlessly as she let him lead the way past surprised passengers, towards the exit and platform beyond.

"Well, guess we'll meet them outside!" Levy said, smiling, as the rest of the group blinked, trying to figure out what had just happened.

* * *

The lobby was magnificent. In fact, calling it a lobby was an understatement. It was more of a grand entrance hall, a large beautiful room with high arching ceilings, crisply painted walls, and shiny hardwood floors with had intricate designs. Pillars were spaced out through the hall, with velvet green couches circled around them, and many different kinds of plants decorated the space. That, paired with the warm glow of natural light coming from high windows above, led to a cozy, fresh feeling.

Levy breathed in deeply, loving the place. She'd had no idea that when Lucy booked them rooms, it'd be somewhere so _fancy_.

"Wow, Lucy, this is incredible," she said, awestruck. Lucy was silent beside her and she noticed that the girl was just as shocked, staring around in wonder.

Several other groups of people were spread out throughout the room, some seated on couches, some standing and talking. At the other end, opposite of the reception desks, a large grand staircase led further in to the building, and several groups of stylishly dressed people were laughing as they strolled up the steps. Levy almost felt a little underdressed to be here. She was a bit scruffy after the long train ride, wearing a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt, and her backpack was well-loved.

"Wow, I had no idea it was so nice," Lucy said, star struck. "Natsu suggested this place, I guess he knows the owner. We actually got a discount."

Levy turned to her, an eyebrow raised.

"Huh," she said.

"Let's get checked in," Gray grumbled and Levy turned to him to reply, but couldn't help from snorting.

"Gray!" Levy cried, laughing and looking at him incredulously. "What happened to your shirt!?"

It appeared he'd lost it, somewhere between the train and hotel.

"Just can't wait to start stripping, huh, perv," Natsu snorted, hands behind his head, and Lucy just laughed with Levy. Shockingly, they were used to this.

"Shut up, idiot," Gray snarled, shooting Natsu a dirty glare. "I packed extra," and the comment elicited new laughter among the group.

Gray stalked towards reception and Lucy and Levy followed, giggling.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail Hotel, Casino, & Suites! How may I help you today?" a receptionist chirped, her light pink hair pulled up into a neat bun.

"We've got a reservation, under 'Lucy,'" Lucy said, smiling at the girl.

"Alright! Let me look it up for you!" the receptionist replied cheerfully, turning to the computer in front of her.

"That's rather odd though," she continued, talking aloud with a bright tone. "Most reservations are placed under last names!" she laughed and Lucy chuckled a little awkwardly.

"But no worries! Looks like I've got your reservation right here. Let's see, six people, three rooms, correct?"

Lucy nodded.

"Perfect, I'll just need a few things from you…"

Levy zoned out of the conversation as Lucy moved forward to take care of checking in. She'd made the reservation after all, so Levy figured she had it handled.

She turned back to ogle the room once more.

"Natsu, you know the owner of this place?" she asked the young man incredulously, who was standing nearby with a bored expression on his face, hands behind his head.

"Yeah, I've known Gramps a long time…"

Levy was going to say something else when suddenly a loud voice boomed throughout the space, causing Levy, Jet, and Droy to jump in surprise.

" _ **NATSU MY BOY!"**_

Levy swept her gaze across the room, trying to figure out who had spoken, but no one around them seemed to match the voice, when she noticed a petite man striding toward them with all the confidence in the world.

He was short, even shorter than Levy, and his white hair and beard were groomed neatly. He wore a dashing golden suit, and it made Levy wonder if he was someone who always dressed like this, or if it was just for Halloween. Following close behind was a tall, curvaceous woman with scarlet red hair and sharp perceptive eyes.

"Natsu, so glad you made it!" he cried, reaching the group and grinning widely. Levy felt her eyes widen a bit in shock. He'd definitely been the one just now, who had called out to Natsu, but how could such a small man have been so loud? His physical stature was small, but his presence was _big._

Natsu had turned towards the approaching man, grinning a wide toothy grin.

"Gramps!" he said to the man, "We were just talking about ya!"

"Oh?" the man said, smiling with an eyebrow quirked upwards. "All good things, I should hope? So glad you all made it safely!" he said, sweeping his eyes over the rest of the group. "Your trip here went well I presume?"

To this, Natsu gagged, face turning green, and everyone started to chuckle, knowing full well how Natsu felt about train travel.

Gray was meeting eyes with the tall woman who had joined them.

"Erza," he said cordially, with a nod of his head.

She nodded back, arms crossed. "Fullbuster."

She turned to Natsu, and greeted him as well with a nod, "Dragneel."

"I hope you both have been keeping things civil," she said, looking skeptically between the two boys with an eyebrow raised, causing them both to look anywhere other than her, rubbing their heads nervously.

"Ahh, yes, yes! How rude of me!" the old man said, "Introductions are in order! My dear friends, I am Makarov Dreyar, the owner of this fine establishment! Pleased to meet you!"

Levy was smiling, already loving the enigmatic gentleman before them. The group introduced themselves in turn, and when Makarov's eyes met Levy's own as she shook his hand, she could see the genuine depths of warmth and kindness that radiated from them.

"I'm so glad you're here!" he said, following the introductions. "Any friend of Natsu's is a friend of mine! In fact, I like to consider us all family around here! So please, just call me Makarov, no need to be formal. Ahh, and this must be the lovely Lucy?" he inquired, nodding towards the girl who was still leaning over the reception desk, distracted with the reservations.

At the sound of her name, a flustered Lucy turned towards the group, all smiling at her.

"Uhm, yes? Hello, yes I'm Lucy," she said, moving back from the counter to shake the short man's hand. She looked to Natsu quizzically, but he was snickering to himself in a very Natsu-like way.

"It's so wonderful to finally meet you!" Makarov crowed, his eyes glinting with laughter. "I've heard so much about you!"

"You… have?" Lucy said, dumbfounded. Did that mean Natsu had told him about her? The thought made her blush lightly and the man she'd just met chuckled as if he knew something she didn't.

"I hope you are taking care of them?" he said now, addressing the receptionist, and she smiled back at him brightly, nodding.

"Yes sir, Mr. Makarov, sir! We're just getting the room keys and then they'll be all set!"

"Wonderful! Wonderful, well I hope you all settle in well," he said, addressing the whole group with a sweep of his arms. "Unfortunately I have a meeting I must attend, with Miss Scarlet here, but please get yourselves settled into your rooms and then come down to enjoy the hotel and casino! Just think of this as a home away from home," he said with a wink. "And please, if you need anything at all, just let me know. What a pleasure it was to finally make your acquaintance!"

He nodded to each of them in turn, before turning back to Lucy and taking her hand once more, kissing it lightly like a gentleman. "Miss Lucy," he said, winking once more, before he swiftly began strolling back across the room, towards some double doors to the right of the stairs, the young woman in tow.

Lucy blinked, her face flushing, and Natsu was snorting with laughter at it.

"That's Gramps, alright," he said with a grin.

"Uhm, Natsu," Lucy stuttered, " _How_ do you know this man? Is he your actual grandfather?"

Natsu shook his head, laughing at the thought.

"Nah, just known him forever. Gray too," he said, nodding towards the moody and shirtless man.

Before Lucy could comment, the receptionist spoke up, causing her to whirl back towards the desk.

"Alright! I've got your rooms in order for you, as well as some room keys! Unfortunately, due to how busy we are this weekend – we're fully booked you know! – I only have one key available per room. Will it be alright for you to share?"

Lucy glanced around at her friends, but they were all nodding distractedly, not too concerned.

"It will be fine, thanks," Lucy said with a smile. "Not a problem."

The receptionist nodded happily in thanks.

"Alright then! Here are the three room keys, they're labeled with your room numbers, and here are three maps of the hotel. The Fairy Tail Casino is up the stairs at the end of this hall, and you're welcome to enjoy the many other benefits and amenities the Hotel has to offer! Since you've all been upgraded to 'Nakama Status,' courtesy of Mr. Makarov, you have access to everything! Please enjoy your stay, and feel free to call reception if you need anything! Our number will be by the phones in your rooms."

Lucy nodded along, and smiled once more as the receptionist finished.

"Alright, thank you! Thanks for your help," she said, scooping up her bag, grabbing the three room keys and maps up off the desk, and moving back to join her friends as they walked towards one of the couches to regroup.

"Alright," Lucy said, flipping through the room keys. They'd already decided before leaving how the rooms would be divided, it was fairly obvious. Levy and Lucy would share one room, Gray and Natsu another, and Jet and Droy the last one. Lucy handed random keys to Jet and Gray, keeping one for herself and Levy. She handed them each maps as well.

"So let's go find our rooms and take a couple hours to freshen up, sound good?" she asked the group and they all nodded, exhaustion from the trip still evident in everyone's faces.

"Maybe we'll have time to try to meet up with Cana and Lisanna before tonight? They said they'd be staying here also, for tonight and tomorrow. I think Lisanna's sister works here too… There's a party tonight in the Casino at 10 PM and it's –," she glanced at her phone, checking the time, "- it's almost three, so plenty of time. Let's just text each other in a couple hours and see how everyone's doing!" she said brightly, and the group nodded once more before each pair splintered off, looking at the maps and gathering their bearings.

So far, the city had been everything that Levy had dreamed of, even more. It was large and sprawling, wide streets packed with pedestrians and cars. The skyscrapers had glinted in the afternoon sun as they'd driven towards their hotel in cabs from the train station, and as they'd pulled up to the massive building her breath had been taken away once more.

Levy hadn't expected much, just a basic hotel with substandard rooms, but she'd certainly never expected the massive and elegant Fairy Tail Hotel and Casino she now found herself in. It was certainly a fun surprise, and she felt the excitement she'd been holding for this weekend brimming within her once more. What a magical place this was! Surely the party here tonight would be just as wonderful. She couldn't wait to meet up with their other friends, and let the reunion commence!

* * *

Yukino strode confidently past the desks crammed together, each one with massive stacks of paper and phones constantly ringing. The bustling space was like a bee's nest, people buzzing about, constant chatter filling the air.

She continued through into an office towards the back, closing the door firmly behind her and nodding to the large man seated behind a desk, a light smirk on her face.

"Chief," she said briefly in greeting. He simply nodded back. Two other men were already seated in front of the desk, shuffling through papers.

"Get the blinds, will you," he said with a deep voice, and she nodded, reaching over to close the blinds covering the glass window that looked out over the office.

"Alright, we can get started," he said with a grunt, and Yukino took a swift seat in the only remaining chair in the room.

"First off, Yukino, I want you to promise you won't get ahead of yourself, like last time," he said, forcing her to meet his firm eyes with her own. She met them with ease.

"Of course, sir. I will stick to the plan," she said resolutely, and he nodded.

"Alright. Let's keep this brief then," and the three others in the room nodded. It'd be a long night and there was still much to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some new characters! Yes, Erza works for Makarov at Fairy Tail, in Magnolia City, but unfortunately neither of them will pop up too much throughout the night. I've got too much planned and they'll be busy with their own mischief!
> 
> I'm pretty sure we all know who is going to win the bet, between Levy and Lucy ;)
> 
> And also, what does Yukino have to do with anything?
> 
> . - . - .
> 
> Another song I've been listening to a lot recently would be "REALiTi," by Grimes. Love her music.
> 
> "Oh, baby, every morning there are mountains to climb, taking all my time oh when I get up this is what I see, welcome to reality"~~
> 
> Cheers and Thanks for Reading!~


	6. Two Hours To Go

**_Saturday, October 31_ _st_ _, 2020_ **

**_-Magnolia City-_ **

**_-10 PM-_ **

Levy glanced at her phone, checking the time. She knocked on their bathroom door softly.

"Hey, Lu-chan? Almost ready?" she asked politely and heard a string of cursing in reply.

"Just wanted to let you know it's ten! But no rush! I'm not in a hurry to get down there. Plus, haven't heard from Natsu or Gray yet, so I don't know if they're ready! They might have lost track of time…"

Levy was now wondering if it had been dangerous to put the two troublemakers in the same hotel room together. It'd felt like a good decision when first assigning rooms, but now… what if their room was already destroyed, reduced to smithereens from the boys incessant fighting? Oh gosh, maybe they'd be paying fees for damages by the end of this trip…

Another worry for another time, she supposed.

Levy glanced at the floor-length mirror that was attached to the wall of their hotel room, running her hands down her skirt, tugging at the hem slightly. She smiled to herself reassuringly.

She was dressed to look like Maka Albarn, one of the main characters in the anime Soul Eater. She had on a white collared shirt, tucked in to the red and black plaid mini skirt she and Lucy had found the other day. Around her neck she sported a neat green and white tie, and over this, she wore a black cloak that reached almost to her ankles, with long sleeves and a hood. The hood wasn't actually a perfect match to Maka's cloak, but it was the best they could find.

The cloak buttoned in the front, with the buttons stopping at her waist, allowing it to flare out around her and show off the front of the skirt underneath. The skirt itself was still a little too short for Levy's liking, but she was happy she could always pull the cloak more tightly around herself if she needed.

To complete the look, she'd pulled her hair into pigtails and slipped on a pair of black sandals. Once again, neither her natural hair color nor the shoes matched Maka's, but she shrugged, figuring it was good enough. It wasn't like they were entering into any kind of costume contest. Levy was sure their group would still look great, regardless of a couple variations.

The bathroom door swung open and Levy looked up to see her blonde friend…

Wait, what?!

Her _black_ - _haired_ friend?!

Lucy strode out of the bathroom with midnight black hair swept up into a dramatic high ponytail, several strands framing her face. She laughed when she saw the look of blatant shock on Levy's face.

"What do you think?" she asked, a little nervously.

"What do I _think_? Oh my god Lucy, it looks great! Just like Tsubaki! That has to be a wig, right?!"

Lucy nodded vigorously. "Yes! Just a wig. Oh gosh, I could never dye my hair this color. But it took me forever to get the wig on correctly! And even now, I hope it will stay. It's already starting to get a little itchy. But I thought it would tie the costume together!"

And boy did it, Levy thought, as she looked at her beaming friend.

Lucy was wearing a sleeveless, collared white dress that wrapped in the front and buttoned at her right. Long slits starting from just below her waist showed off her long legs on either side and she had a gray studded belt buckling the whole thing together. The dress had a yellow star-shaped patch on the right side of the chest, and Levy noticed that Lucy's natural build filled the dress in quite nicely, in all the right places.

To accessorize, she had one thigh high black sock on her right leg, long striped detachable sleeves along her arms, and a black scarf snug around her neck.

She looked like a perfect replica of Tsubaki from the show, especially with the jet black hair. It was a far cry from Lucy's normal hair color, but it actually looked quite good on her.

Levy couldn't help from smiling when she saw that Lucy was in white tennis shoes, not the white boots Tsubaki wore in the show. It looked like both of them had been unable to match the shoes.

"Damn, Lucy! You look incredible! You're going to blow everyone away!" Levy said sincerely, and Lucy smiled back.

"Thanks Levy-chan! Now, let's go! I'm dying to get down there and see Cana and Lisanna! And everyone else's costumes!" and Levy nodded in agreement.

They'd been too tired from the train to meet up with Cana and Lisanna earlier, and Levy knew the two girls were already waiting downstairs in the Casino.

"We should probably go check on Gray and Natsu," Levy said, as she gathered up her things. "I don't even want to know what they've been up to."

Lucy hummed in agreement, rolling her eyes at the thought.

"You got the room key, Levy?" she asked as they reached the door, and Levy held it up.

"Yep! I can keep it, my cloak has great pockets."

And with that the two girls slipped out of the darkened hotel room, letting it lock behind them, and strode down the hall to get Natsu and Gray.

* * *

The dark bar was packed, heaving bodies jostling against each other to yell drink orders, or to get good spots for viewing. Gajeel pushed his way through, his massive bulk and intimidating presence forcing most people to yield to him or jump out of his path, with little concern for the drinks that they held.

He made his way towards the end of the bar, a spot slightly elevated from the rest of the room and tucked back into a dark corner. A man was already seated there, and he met Gajeel's eyes with a challenge in his own, unwilling at first to back down. But Gajeel's dark glare quickly made the man rethink his intentions, and after a moment's hesitation he slipped off from the stool and melted back into the crowd.

Gajeel grunted, setting himself down on his newly acquired barstool, and looked out over the space from this vantage point. He leaned back, elbows on the bar, as he observed the ever shifting crowd of people, yelling and laughing boisterously.

It was a fairly large space, with multiple bars along each wall, ready to ply the mob with overpriced alcohol all evening. It was more crowded than it should have been, considering the main event taking place here tonight would be illegal. Obviously the criminal nature of it meant nothing, as more people than ever had turned up, and Gajeel snorted at the hypocrisy of it all. So much for law and order.

The police force in Magnolia City claimed to be an unbiased, unaffiliated organization. They presented themselves as beacons of righteousness, defenders of the people. But beneath this heroic façade, Sabertooth was pulling the strings.

Sabertooth was one of the three main Guilds that ran the city. They actually had a substantial amount of control in local government, having sunk their teeth into more branches of power than just the police. Ironically, they also had involvement in some of the criminal underworld, and that paradox was what had allowed the underground fighting scene to flourish as it had these past several years.

As Gajeel glanced around the room, he noted several people who he knew to be members of Sabertooth, and his glare darkened. That was why the police wouldn't be coming tonight to break this up, even though it was one of the largest illegal events of the year. They were monitoring it, sure, but they wouldn't step in, not when they were involved themselves.

Instead, the police would be found breaking up innocent parties for noise complaints, or arresting trick-or-treaters for harmless pranks. The sliminess of it all made Gajeel's stomach churn.

"Gajeel," a cool voice behind the bar had him turning his head and meeting the dark blue eyes of one of the beautiful bartenders that worked there.

"Juvia," he grunted in greeting, and the bluenette smiled back at him.

Juvia had worked at the bar, and for Phantom Lord, for many years. It was how the two had met. Neither were inclined towards talking, both preferring to step back and observe, and their similar personalities had led to a comfortable companionship over the years. She was only the second person Gajeel had ever quite considered a friend.

Despite the dangers of working for Phantom Lord, Juvia could hold her own. She was stronger than she seemed, something that many entitled men had discovered when they'd tried forcing an unwanted advancement on the girl. This strength was what allowed her to work where she did and Gajeel respected her deeply for it.

The sight of her blue hair had him thinking back to another certain bluenette he knew. Juvia's hair was deeper blue, like the dark blue of the ocean, but it always made him think of Levy anyways. He found himself frowning slightly as he thought back to his visit to Hargeon the night before. It had gone smoothly, as planned, but despite this he wasn't pleased. Against his better judgement, he realized that a part of himself had still been hoping he'd run into Levy, just one more time. It was probably for the best that he hadn't.

"Juvia is glad to see you, Gajeel. Would you like a drink?" she asked, already reaching for a glass behind the bar, but Gajeel shook his head gruffly.

"Nah, gotta stay sober. In case I'm needed," he said, and Juvia raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You'll be fighting?" she asked, concern evident in her voice and Gajeel chuckled slightly at how similar it was to Lily's earlier that day. This was the trouble with friends, they got nosy and had too many opinions.

"Not officially," he said, and she frowned briefly before understanding came over her expression.

"Ah, I see. Back-up," she said and Gajeel nodded.

Juvia poured him a glass of water instead, and set it before the man as he turned back to gaze out over the packed sea of people, moving like currents as they shifted, their movements revolving around the center of attention in the middle of the room: The Ring.

It was a slightly raised platform, only about half a foot up from the ground, with three ropes circled around it, one above the other, to keep out the grasping crowd. No one was in it yet, but the first fight was due to start at any minute and the building excitement created a feeling of intense energy throughout the room.

Gajeel sipped at his water as he waited for the first bout to start. He thought back to the list of people set to fight tonight. Many of the names he knew, belonging mostly to Phantom Lord, Sabertooth, or various other groups. He even thought he saw a member or two of Fairy Tail. They pretended that they were above it all, but it proved nothing if they too were involved in these fights.

But there were several names he hadn't seen before and he had to admit he was somewhat curious to see what these newcomers could do. It would certainly be an interesting night and he settled in on his perch at the bar, content to sit back and watch as long as he could.

* * *

Levy glanced at her phone, checking the time.

It was still early in the night and she smiled as she looked back up at her friends around her, standing in a group next to one of the bars, laughing and drinking bubbly orange mixed drinks with black straws.

After she and Lucy had gathered up Natsu and Gray, whose room happened to be just a couple doors down from their own, the four friends had made their way to the Casino below, the noise from the party there already echoing through the halls of the hotel.

The party had been in full swing and Levy had found herself newly awestruck as they made their way through the many grand rooms of the casino, more extravagant than the entrance hall had been. They passed by multiple bars, numerous green felted gambling tables surrounded by chattering guests, and rows upon rows of glittering and flashing slot machines.

The rooms were massive, ceilings vaulting high above, and they were _packed_. People were everywhere, talking, laughing, drinking, gambling, dancing. They were dressed in all number of stylish and flashy costumes. Halloween music blared out above the constant chatter, and the place was so massive, the type of music varied by room.

Finally, the four friends had managed to find the rest of their group. Cana and Lisanna had called out in excitement when they saw them and rushed forward, wearing matching red halter tops with mini white neckties, and cowboy hats atop their heads.

They were dressed as the Thompson sisters from the show, Lisanna as Patty and Cana as Liz. As such, Cana wore a pair of long flare cut blue jeans and Lisanna had on some jean shorts with tall black boots.

The friends greeted each other warmly, excited to be reunited for the first time since last school year, and the two Thompson sisters instantly started cooing over Lucy's black wig, shocked to see her with such a hair color. Everyone agreed that it looked great, perhaps with the exception of Natsu who didn't seem to care either way.

Jet and Droy were there as well, by the bar, and Levy couldn't help but snort with laughter as she saw the two boys for the first time that night, both dressed to look like Soul Evans, one of the show's protagonists.

They were wearing wigs too, white spiky ones, with gray headbands holding them in place. They also wore sports style jackets with yellow sleeves and long red pants. They looked… well they looked a little silly, and Levy had felt bad about it as she had gone over to greet them, long black cloak swishing by her ankles as she went. They'd hugged her and started complaining about how unfair it was that Natsu and Gray's room was so close to hers, but theirs was on the opposite end of the hotel. She'd simply laughed and reassured them that, despite the distance, they'd be sure to do plenty of things together throughout the weekend. It was early still, wasn't it? The night had only just started.

Their other friends had soon joined them at the bar and Lisanna had introduced them to a stunningly gorgeous woman who looked quite like her. It turned out that Mira was Lisanna's older sister, and she'd worked there at the Fairy Tail Casino for quite some time, both behind the bar and in the restaurant.

She'd smiled at them with the most beautiful pearly white smile Levy had ever seen, her luscious locks just as white as her teeth, and she'd made them these bubbly orange drinks they were now drinking, assuring them that they had a low alcohol content and would be the perfect way to start the night.

After all, they expected a long night lay ahead of them, especially with the Magic Hour, which would give them a whole extra hour when the clocks hit 2 AM and reset to 1 AM.

Levy was listening now as her friends were discussing how to spend their evening. Lisanna had suggested going to a bar named Fairy's Fate, where apparently there would be free drinks throughout the entire Magic Hour. She said something about her brother working there, and Levy realized she'd had no idea Lisanna had so many siblings living and working in Magnolia City.

She glanced around and saw Jet and Droy to her right, but frowned when she couldn't spot Natsu or Gray. The group had barely managed to get a group picture of their costume, Mira taking the shot for them, before both boys had slipped off and they hadn't been seen since. Levy wasn't sure where they'd gone, but she wasn't too worried about it. Knowing them, they'd probably gotten distracted by one of the games spread out through the Casino. They'd probably come back soon.

* * *

Lucy was on her way back from the bathroom, passing a particularly rowdy group of gamblers mobbed around a poker table. The sight made her smirk, their energy reminding her of Natsu, and she continued towards where she'd left her friends by the bar.

Speaking of Natsu, she glanced around looking for him, but a frown marred her brow when her search came up empty. How long had it been since she'd last seen him? She glanced at her phone and noted it was a little past 11 PM.

He'd been missing for more than thirty minutes at this point. Her frown deepened.

She supposed she wasn't _too_ concerned. Natsu could be impulsive, but he could take care of himself, right? In any normal situation, he was certainly able to defend himself from other people, and she knew he was often more perceptive than he let on… Then again, Natsu wasn't someone to be found in normal situations. In fact, it was more likely that he'd be in an _abnormal_ situation, in which case his hot head might get the best of him and who knew what might happen...

Either way, Lucy would be more comfortable knowing where he was and it was bothering her that she didn't. She checked her phone to see if he had replied to her text from twenty minutes ago, but there was still no reply.

Lucy walked over to Levy who was a little off to the side, smiling happily and listening to the boisterous conversation at the bar involving Lisanna, her sister Mira, and Jet. Levy noticed Lucy's arrival and turned her smile towards her friend, happy to see her.

"Lu-chan!" Levy chirped, greeting Lucy warmly, but she instantly sensed that something was bothering the newly dark-haired girl.

"Lu-chan? What's wrong?" she asked, concern in her voice. "Are you alright?"

Lucy was nodding but seemed distracted, constantly glancing around and staring at the people around them.

"Hey Levy, no, I'm alright, it's just… have you seen Natsu?"

Understanding washed over Levy as she realized the source of Lucy's concern and she smirked slightly to herself.

"No, I haven't. But Gray is with him, right? They'll probably be back soon. They haven't been gone that long, have they?"

Lucy was shaking her head.

"That's the thing, they've been gone over thirty minutes."

She glanced again at her phone and corrected herself. " _Forty-five minutes_ , at this point."

Levy's eyes widened, surprised it had been so long.

"Wow, I didn't realize so much time had passsed. Have you tried texting him?"

Lucy nodded, "Yes, both him and Gray, I haven't heard from either of them. Hold on, I'll try calling him," and Levy waited as Lucy dialed Natsu's number, holding her phone to her ear, concern etched on her face as it rang.

After three rings, Lucy heard the familiar sound of his voicemail and she quickly ended the call, frowning more deeply and meeting Levy's gaze.

"No good," Lucy said.

"Maybe Gray?" Levy suggested. Lucy tried calling Gray too, but once again it went straight to voicemail. This was odd.

Lucy groaned, anxiously moving her head back up to look out and around them at the shifting groups of people.

"I'm just…" she began, eyes elsewhere. "I'm just really concerned, Levy. I don't know how to explain it, I just feel like something is wrong… Something doesn't feel right."

Levy was watching as her friend was growing increasingly concerned and she felt her own worries begin to form. It was entirely unlike Natsu and Gray to ignore a call, especially if it was from Lucy. Natsu especially wouldn't ignore her like this. He always picked up. The fact that they'd been missing for so long and that neither of them were picking up their phones was something to be worried about.

Levy found her eyes drifting around, trying to find the boys in the vast room, but it was impossible to see far with the many laughing faces and fantastical costumes drifting by. She shook her head, trying to focus, and she set her half-finished drink on the bar behind her, grabbing Lucy's hand in her own to bring the girl's attention back to herself.

"Lucy," she said, firmly meeting her friend's eyes. "Let's go look for him, okay? He's probably just in a different room, you know how he gets distracted. We can just go through some of the rooms and maybe we'll run into them."

Lucy nodded, wanting to be reassured, but that didn't mean that she was. She let Levy pull her forward into the crowd, towards one of the other rooms filled with slot machines.

They pushed their way past many large groups, Levy's small stature proving handy for squeezing through the throngs of party-goers when necessary. Lucy kept her eyes peeled for that familiar head of pink hair, anxiety building in her stomach the longer she couldn't find it.

On occasion she thought she'd spotted pink hair, but it'd always been a wig, her hopes dashed as quickly as they'd formed. In the anime, the character Black Star had blue hair, but she and Levy had quickly dismissed the idea of asking Natsu to wear a wig, or dye his hair. He just didn't have the patience for that.

They continued searching for several more minutes, but came up emptyhanded.

Frustrated, Levy stopped by one of the bars and turned towards Lucy, who was looking worse, anxiousness flitting across her face as she kept neurotically searching the room.

"He has to be here somewhere, Levy, right? _Right?_ "

Levy shrugged, unsure. It was honestly a massive place, who knew if they'd even searched half of it so far?

"I just have a really bad feeling about this! I don't know why but I do! A _really_ bad feeling, Levy, and I know he's probably fine but I just… I can't stop worrying about it… and I…"

Levy was once again looking around the room when suddenly a voice called out from by the bar, making both girls jump and spin towards it.

"You're looking for Natsu?"

* * *

Gajeel was still perched on his barstool, sipping his water, and glaring at the scene before him.

The fights had started a while ago, each one a short two to five minutes. The first rounds were quick, merely meant to narrow down the competition. Once half of the fighters had been eliminated, the matches became longer, requiring more hits for a man to move up.

It was a bracketed system, the winners of the previous rounds were set to fight each other in the next, and it would continue so on and so forth until only two fighters remained. The final fight would be the longest, three rounds of five minutes, and it was scheduled to start at midnight.

Gajeel was watching the current bout with keen eyes, noting the movements of the two fighters facing each other. Just by watching their stances, he was fairly certain he could predict who would win, and sure enough the man with vibrant green hair sent his opponent flying to the ground mere seconds later with a brutal uppercut.

Gajeel leaned back against the bar as the rowdy crowd went wild, a colliding force of noise as some shouted in approval while others jeered in disdain. As with any match, there were some people who had just won a lot of money, and there were some who had just lost.

Gajeel proffered his empty glass up, catching Juvia's eye, and she quickly navigated her way to the end of the bar towards him, grabbing his glass to refill it.

"What does Gajeel think so far?" she asked, a dark glint in her eyes as she set his newly filled cup of water before him.

Gajeel grunted, thinking.

"Dunno," he said, eyeing the crowd and the Ring beyond. "Might need ta step in if things continue the way they're goin'."

Juvia quirked an eyebrow at him.

"What makes Gajeel-san say that?" she asked.

"Pinkie," he said in gruff reply and Juvia looked out over the crowd herself, eyeing the group of fighters in the far corner, many of them glaring around at each other and stretching.

"You mean the Salamander?" she asked, and Gajeel grunted. Juvia hummed, thinking.

"Many people along the bar have started wagering in his favor," she said, "Most think he'll make it to the final round."

Gajeel didn't respond, simply glaring out at the crowded room around them, and Juvia was called down towards the other end of the bar.

Gajeel was deep in thought, thinking about the potential truth behind Juvia's words.

The pink-haired man had blown in at the last second and he was already causing waves throughout the establishment. He'd crushed his opponents quickly and taken few hits himself. He was obviously well trained and his fighting style was intense, causing even Gajeel to raise an eyebrow as he watched.

José was probably furious. He was one of those people who stood to gain a lot, or lose a lot, depending on the course this fight took. Pinkie, as Gajeel had dubbed the mysterious man, was a wildcard, and José hated things he couldn't control.

Gajeel wondered where this man had come from. He'd never seen nor heard of him before. It was like he'd shown up out of thin air, and this mysteriousness about him made his wins all the more intriguing. The crowd loved him.

If he kept up this win streak, Gajeel realized he might be meeting the man sooner than he would have liked.

* * *

"You're looking for Natsu, right?" Cana asked, slowly sipping at her mixed drink with a mischievous smirk as Lucy and Levy gaped at her.

Cana had been making her rounds, going to the various bars throughout the Casino, checking the place out. She'd only been to this particular establishment a few times and she was enjoying doing some reconnaissance. She'd been getting another drink at this bar when she'd seen her friends stumble over, both looking rather distracted.

"Yes!" Lucy cried, rushing over to Cana, who raised an eyebrow at her desperate tone.

"We can't find Natsu anywhere! Or Gray! Have you seen them? I'm getting really worried."

Maybe it was the alcohol coursing pleasantly through her veins, or the look on her friend's face, but Cana found herself smirking more before she made a split second decision and replied.

"Have you girls heard of… _The Dragon's Den?"_

Cana didn't go to college because she wanted to, more because her father wanted her to. She'd in fact grown up in Magnolia City, her father a successful businessman, among other things, and she'd been very happy with her life there.

When she had graduated from High School, she'd fully intended to simply work at a bar or join her father's business, but he'd urged her instead to get a degree.

With reluctance she had applied to Hargeon University, figuring that with its growing popularity in recent years, there would at least be a vibrant college party scene. And boy, had she been pleasantly surprised when this guess turned out to be true, leading to an enjoyable four years living with the other girls in their big blue house, attending rambunctious parties every weekend in the many houses along Hawthorne Street.

Getting the degree hadn't been the main goal for her, but she was happy now to have one anyways, and she enjoyed the many friendships she'd made in her college years.

Upon her graduation, it was the obvious choice to come back to Magnolia City, to rejoin her father and follow through with her original plans. She was used to a party lifestyle, it was one she thrived in. She had a supremely high alcohol tolerance and loved drinking men twice her size under the table, after placing bets with them when they'd been overconfident in themselves and hadn't known better. Thus she still intended to start her own bar or club, something she felt passionate about.

In the name of business, she'd made it her mission to explore every nook and cranny in Magnolia City that sold and distributed alcohol, even the little illegal places tucked away in private apartments. This quest meant that she was familiar with The Dragon's Den, a bar somewhat nearby, known for its involvement in underground activities. She'd been there before…

But she was realizing it had been a while. Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned it to her friends? It was too late now, judging by the look on Lucy's face. She'd already latched on to this piece of information, digesting it in her mind, reaching for what it could mean.

"The Dragon's Den?" Lucy was asking, curiously. "What is that? Is that a bar? A club? Is it nearby? Do you think Natsu is there? With Gray? How did they get there? How do you know this, Cana? Why…" but she couldn't continue as Cana started laughing and cut her off, shaking her head.

"Woah, woah! Slow down there, girly! One thing at a time, yes?"

Cana was almost hoping to change the topic, but Lucy obviously wasn't going to let it go. She was staring at Cana intently, making her laugh at how serious she looked. It was too late, might as well just tell the girl everything she knew.

"It's a bar, but also… a venue. Of sorts. It's nearby. I don't know if that's where Natsu and Gray are, but I did overhear them whispering about it, quite heatedly actually, when they were leaving after the group photo. I have no idea if they would actually go there though…" she trailed off, thoughtful finger to her chin, but Lucy's intensity had shifted off of her and the girl was no longer listening.

Lucy looked down at her phone one last time. No new notifications. She inhaled sharply, her mind made up, and she swiftly turned on her heel to stride back into the crowd, leaving a surprised Levy and a slightly amused Cana in her wake.

Levy wasn't sure what to make of what Cana had just said, but she couldn't let her friend storm off alone, so she said a quick thanks to Cana before quickly following her friend, slipping through the crowd behind her.

Cana was feeling a little conflicted. She wasn't sure if she should have told her friends about The Dragon's Den, but then again they were adults. They could take care of themselves. Cana didn't like babying her friends, she was confident they could make their own decisions.

With this in mind, she shrugged and downed the rest of her drink, turning towards the bar to order another one. They would probably be alright. They weren't dumb.

Levy was practically running to catch up with Lucy's long strides, only reaching her again in the main hall of the hotel as she continued towards the entrance to the place.

"Lucy!" Levy cried, panting. "Lucy, hang on! We should think this through first!"

Lucy was pushing through the front doors, cool air washing over them as they stepped onto the sidewalk outside. A couple other groups of people lingered here, cars rushing by on the road ahead.

"Lucy!" Levy cried once more, and this time Lucy turned towards her, pain clear on her face.

"I'm sorry, Levy! I just can't leave this be!" she cried, and Levy realized her friend was almost on the verge of tears. "If that's where Natsu is, then I _need_ to be there, too! It's okay if you won't come with me, but I just… I _need_ to be there, Levy. I know I've already said this, but I have a really bad feeling about this!"

Levy grasped at her friends arms, rubbing them, trying to calm Lucy down. Lucy was freaking out, clearly overwhelmed, and Levy met her eyes with her own.

"Lucy," she said, reassuringly. "Lucy, it's okay, calm down. Don't worry, I understand. Well, I don't know if I understand, but I've got your back, okay? Where you go, I go. I'm coming with you, okay? Let's go find Natsu and Gray."

Lucy looked back at Levy, seeing the firm resolve in her eyes and feeling warmth wash over her, welcome in the face of the sheering cold panic she's felt just a moment prior. She smiled wistfully at Levy, who smiled back with reassurance in her eyes.

Levy then stepped forward and waved down a cab, which pulled up to the sidewalk swiftly. Levy pulled the door open and glanced back at Lucy, who was still standing on the sidewalk behind her.

"You coming?" Levy asked, propping the door open, and Lucy met her eyes once more. How had she gotten so lucky, to have such a good friend? She smiled back at Levy with relief and gratitude, and Levy returned her smile with one full of love.

Lucy strode forward and hopped into the cab, Levy right behind her.

"Where to?" the cabbie sang, glancing in his rearview mirror at the two girls that had just slid into the backseat. He was having a wonderful evening so far and he was looking forward to the bountiful business the night was sure to provide.

"The Dragon's Den," Levy said confidently, and that made the cabbie turn fully to look at the two girls with surprise.

"You gals sure you wanna go there?" he asked skeptically. "There're plenty of other fun places to go to on a night like tonight. You look like you're all dressed up! What if I take ya to Fairy's Fate? Or Element Four?"

But Levy was shaking her head, meeting his eyes with her own, and he shuddered slightly at how fierce her gaze was.

"No thanks," she said, "We want to go to The Dragon's Den."

The cabbie shrugged.

"Alright! I'll take you where you wanna go!" he said, pulling the cab out into the road.

Levy looked over at Lucy again and reached for her hand, squeezing it softly.

"Don't worry, Lu-chan. Natsu will be alright, I'm sure of it. Plus, Gray is with him. What could go wrong?" she said.

Lucy only nodded, eyes forward. Her wig was really starting to bother her, its itchiness distracting. Without thinking she reached up to yank it off, no longer interested in the costume or the way she looked, her mind solely on finding Natsu and ensuring he was okay.

"Woah, woah, woah!" the cabbie yelled out. "Don't go leavin' your hair in my cab, ya hear?"

* * *

Natsu grunted as he was pushed backwards, falling into the rough rope that surrounded the Ring. Hands from the crowd reached out, grabbing at his shoulders and arms, but he shook them off roughly and jumped back towards the center, raising his fists as he met his opponent's eyes once more.

The man was tougher than the ones before him and for the first time, Natsu was starting to second-guess his decision to come tonight.

Natsu was a good fighter. He knew this, and it wasn't just his ego talking. Natsu had been forced to be good at this from a young age, but more than that his body was also built for it. He was a natural.

He'd never received much official training, so he knew his style was a bit unconventional, but that lent itself well to the world of underground and illegal fight clubs.

He'd heard about the Halloween match years ago, whispers of it even reaching the gyms of Hargeon. It'd been a bit of a dream of his to participate, so when the chance had arisen a couple weeks ago, to get on the list, he'd jumped for it before thinking through the decision fully. He'd always been like that, doing things impulsively. But he didn't regret it, his impulsive nature. After all that very trait had led to some of the best things in his life.

Natsu glared at the green-haired man before him. He'd been watching his fights earlier and felt like he had a feel for his fighting style, but the man was still quite talented, and it was taking Natsu several minutes to find the right opening.

The man had a tendency to favor his right side, as most people did. Natsu just needed to wait until he was… _there!_

Natsu sprung forward, swinging his right arm forward, feinting a hit to the man's exposed left side. The man turned abrupty, overextending to protect himself, and Natsu swung in with his left leg, sweeping the man off of his feet. He crashed to the ground and Natsu dove forward, getting a hit on both his chest and cheek, before the buzzer went off, declaring the victor.

 _"Salamander!"_ the deep voice of the commentator yelled, eliciting a great roar from the crowd around him.

Natsu stood up, reaching a hand down towards the green-haired man on the ground, but the man swatted his hand away viciously, snarling as he climbed to his feet by himself. He spat in Natsu's direction before stalking off to exit the Ring and Natsu simply shrugged, turning back towards the other direction.

He swiftly hopped the rope to where Gray was waiting for him, arms crossed over his now bare chest. At some point Gray had lost the shirt to his Death the Kid costume, but Natsu didn't bother to mention it, used to his friend's stripping habits.

As soon as Natsu was beside him, Gray slapped his back, meeting his dark eyes with him own.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Gray yelled above the noise around them, and Natsu nodded tersely, swallowing.

"Yeah…" he replied, voice barely legible in the din.

The crowd around them was almost overwhelming, several men patting Natsu on the back, others sneering at him. But Natsu stayed focused, thinking about the fight that lay ahead. He was almost there…

* * *

Levy and Lucy were standing on a street corner, shivering in the cold.

Lucy looked at her phone for the thousandth time that night, but there were still no new notifications from either Natsu or Gray. She glanced at the time and noticed it was ten minutes to midnight.

"What should we do?" Levy asked, rubbing her hands over her arms and looking back at her friend. She was happy she had a cloak on, but it was still quite chilly in the evening air.

The cabbie had just dropped them off, it had been a surprisingly short trip.

Now, they were standing on a dimly lit street, several people smoking cigarettes nearby. The dim streetlamps were widely spaced, and Levy found herself involuntarily thinking back to three years ago, the last time she'd been in a similarly shady part of town.

Nearby, an old neon sign flickered down at them from above a deep red door.

_'The Dragon's Den'_

It was a slime green sign, the font stylized such that the bottom part of the 'g' in 'Dragon' looked like a dragon's tail, curling underneath the words. Levy shuddered as she looked at it.

Well, they'd found the place they had been looking for, but neither girl was itching to go inside. Now that they were no longer racing to get here, Levy was starting to slow down and rethink the situation. Maybe it had been a bad idea to storm off, leaving their friends behind. Neither girl new Magnolia City well, Levy honestly had no idea where she was, and she certainly didn't know what kind of a place The Dragon's Den was, but going by the people smoking nearby and some of the other patrons who had sauntered inside, Levy didn't think it was the kind of place where she and Lucy would fit in.

Levy was about to ask Lucy what she thought about it all when a group of tall girls walked past, heading straight towards the dark red door. Their conversation was hushed, but they looked excited, and she heard something about a fight and a salamander.

She turned to Lucy and noticed the girl had frozen, staring at the girls now tugging the door open, letting a rush of noise swirl out into the street.

"Lucy…?" Levy asked, frowning at the look on Lucy's face. She looked… terrified.

Lucy didn't know much about Natsu's past. It was always a sore topic for him, so she never pushed. She figured he would tell her in his own time, and over the past three years there had been moments when he had divulged bits of it to her, in confidence. She didn't know much, but the name 'Salamander'… She knew that.

A new wave of fear washed over her as she watched the girls go inside, the door closing behind them. The sound of it slamming shut, cutting off the roar from within, had Lucy jumping to action. She had to go inside. Natsu was in there, she just knew it.

Levy was watching her with concern when Lucy suddenly jumped forward and walked up to the door, reaching for it's handle to follow the other girls inside.

"Lucy!" Levy cried, running after her, causing the girl to glance back.

"I'm going in, Levy," Lucy said. "I need to."

Levy gulped but knew she couldn't stop her. Instead, she reached a hand out and Lucy took it gratefully.

"Thank you," Lucy said, knowing what Levy meant. They exchanged a smile and then Lucy was yanking open the door, the noise engulfing them once more.

Levy gave Lucy a reassuring squeeze as the girl led them into The Dragon's Den.

The noise, obviously, was the first thing that hit them. It had been so loud, they could even hear it from the street, but inside the building itself the sounds of talking, yelling, laughing, and shouting made the tight space seem to bulge, pressing against the walls.

The second thing, that pushed against them like a physical barrier, was the _heat_. The heat of bodies packed together like sardines, pushing and shoving and pawing at each other, causing the crowd before them to wriggle and writhe, like it had a life of its own.

Lucy paused for only a second before she plunged forward into that crowd, eyes intently sweeping above it, trying to spot the head of pink hair she could _feel_ was within. She didn't know where she was going, she just kept pushing, slipping between the jostling bodies, holding Levy's hand tightly as the small girl followed her deeper into the din.

The crowd was mostly men, tall men that sneered and leered down at her. She met their eyes with a cool gaze, refusing to look long, constantly scanning the crowd, anxiety building within her.

Levy was swallowing nervously. Everyone around them not only looked like they wanted to kill them, but also like they _could_ kill them. This was certainly not her scene, and she wished she was taller so the people around her couldn't fence her in. If only she could see above their heads just a little bit better. She swallowed down claustrophobia as she held Lucy's hand tighter and followed her forward further. The last thing she wanted was to lose her friend, in a place like this.

Natsu was looking out over the crowd absentmindedly, focused more on Gray, who was gripping his arm reassuringly and shouting into his ear, than on the faces around him.

"Jura is taller than you!" Gray continued, Natsu's eyes narrowing as he thought about the strategies he might need to employ.

"Most of his strength is in his punches! Earlier, it looked like he focused on feints to the face, but attacks to the gut!"

Natsu nodded, eyes unfocused, when suddenly a flash of blonde made his eyes snap to attention, peering out in the direction he had seen it. The shade was all too familiar, but also incredibly out of place. Had that been...?

No way, there was no way Lucy could be here, not in this mob. He had been sure not to tell anyone other than Gray where they were going, he hadn't wanted her to come, knowing that if she found out she would insist on joining him. He'd been so careful, so surely…

He kept scanning the crowd intently and a spike of fear flared in his gut as the flash of blonde popped up again, a little to the right this time. Then it reappeared between two heads and he saw a worried Lucy, whipping her head around, looking out over the crowd.

Natsu felt his breath catch in his throat, eyes wide. _No._ No, no, no. What the hell was Lucy doing here?! What was she doing in a place like this?!

Before he could think, or even say a word to Gray, Natsu was surging forward into the crowd, headed towards the spot where Lucy's face had disappeared again behind a couple tall men. The look on his face caused people to shy away from him, his glare fearsome as he growled under his breath.

He couldn't think straight, emotions coursing through him. He was surprised and confused, but also suddenly incredibly scared. And angry. He needed to get to her _now_ and fuck all the people in his way!

Lucy was still anxiously scanning the crowd around her, Levy's hand still firmly in her own, their palms increasingly sweaty as they were crushed in the heat of the bodies around them.

"NATSU!" she cried, hoping he might hear her over the ruckus of voices, but her yells only attracted the attention of those immediately around her, and they all turned to her with various levels of interest. She ignored them, looking past them, desperately searching for pink.

"NATSU!" she tried again, pushing past a particularly chubby man.

The anxiety inside of her was building again, becoming unbearable. Maybe this had been a terrible idea! Maybe Natsu wasn't even here, and she'd just led Levy and herself into a terrible place! What if they weren't able to get out? Or find the exit?! What if they got crushed in this crowd, this sea of sweaty bodies and unfamiliar men?!

Lucy felt fear throbbing through her when suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a glance of the shade of pink she'd so desparately been seeking all night and waves of relief started to ebb the fear away. She turned towards it, standing on her tip toes to see better, straining her eyes in the direction she thought it had been.

"NATSU!" she yelled again, as loud as she could, making a man to her left glare at her sharply. She ignored him, anxiously looking for that pink again when... there he was!

"LUCE!"

She could hear him, faintly, above the surrounding chatter.

Lucy felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes and with a renewed burst of strength she pushed forward, Levy following closely. She could see him! She could see his face, looking anxious and desperate, glaring at the people around him as he forced his way towards her.

Natsu could see the relief in Lucy's face as he neared her and with a burst he shoved the final people between them aside, ignoring their shouts of anger, and enveloping the girl into a tight hug.

Lucy gasped as Natsu embraced her tightly and she found herself suddenly crushed up against him, his warmth and his smell overpowering her senses. She sighed deeply as she wrapped her free arm around his waist and nuzzled her nose into his neck, humming with relief. He was here. She'd finally found him. Everything would be okay now.

Natsu continued to glare at the people around them, stunned to be holding Lucy here like this. What in the world was she doing here? He blinked as he noticed Levy, crushed up close to them, eyeing him with relief. It made him frown further and he pulled back slightly from Lucy, keeping one arm around her wasit but lifting the other to cup her cheek with his hand.

She closed her eyes, leaning into his hand, and a tear escaped to roll towards her chin. He brushed it away with his thumb, frowning down at the beautiful girl.

"Lucy, what are you doing here?" Natsu asked, speaking loud enough to be heard above the noise surrounding them. She opened her eyes and met his gaze with her own. He could see fear and confusion there, but also relief.

"We were looking for you!" Levy said back, yelling a bit so he'd hear.

Natsu shook his head in distress. This was all wrong, they shouldn't be there. Lucy met his eyes again, looking mournful.

"Don't leave me like that!" she yelled and he felt a deep burning guilt begin to take root in his gut.

But this was bad, he didn't have a lot of time...

As if the universe read his thoughts, a loud chime sounded over the crowd, causing the noise levels around them to increase with new shouts and yells of excitement, and Natsu cursed, whirling around to look at the Ring behind him.

The lights were slowly dimming, a spotlight forming on the Ring, and Lucy and Levy looked around themselves with new concern as the energy in the room increased, reaching a new frenzy.

" _Ladies and Gentleman!_ " a deep voice boomed, that of the commentator standing with a mic by the back bar. " _Goblins and Ghouls! Now's the chance to place those final bets! The time is two to midnight! Prepare yourselves for… The Final Fight_!"

The crowd went wild, jostling against them, crushing them closer together as Natsu cursed, looking increasingly concerned.

"Lucy! Levy! I'm going to take you to Gray!" Natsu shouted at them and they frowned back, barely making his words out with the resounding roar around them.

"WHAT?" Levy screamed.

"I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU TO GRAY!" Natsu shouted, more loudly this time, and he grabbed Lucy's other hand, intertwining his fingers with hers tightly in a strong grip. He turned towards the Ring, the two girls following behind, and they gulped as they realized he was leading them deeper into the crowd.

Levy was watching the intensity around them, not liking it. And Gray was in here somewhere too? Her own anxiety was building as Natsu led them closer to a raised platform in the middle of the room, the crowd pulsing around her in excitement.

Gray was scanning the crowd with his eyes narrowed, trying to see where that blasted idiot had stormed off to. He better come back soon, the fight was about to start! He was straining to see in the dimming light when suddenly Natsu's distinctive head popped into view, bobbing as it came closer.

Gray sighed in relief, but his relief quickly soured as he noticed a certain blonde following after the boy.

Gray's jaw dropped as Natsu pushed through to where he was at the corner of the Ring, Lucy stumbling up close behind him. His eyes widened further as Levy tumbled forward too, practically running into him as the three people squeezed into the small pocket of space with him at the corner of the Ring. The two girls looked confused and disheveled, constantly glancing around at the riotous crowd.

"Lucy?!" Gray cried, "LEVY?! What the hell are you guys doing here?!"

Lucy met his eyes briefly and he could see her eyes swirling with confusion.

"We were worried about you!" Levy yelled back, straining to be heard. "You weren't picking up your phones!"

Gray swallowed guiltily as he remembered that yes, neither he nor Natsu had even thought to check their phones since arriving, the excitement of the event taking up their entire attention. But how the hell did the two girls even find them?!

He was opening his mouth to ask, but then shook his head. There would be plenty of time to talk later, for now Natsu needed to focus on the fight, and it was too hard to talk with the overpowering crush of bodies and noise.

"Natsu!" he yelled, meeting his eyes. "You're on any second!" and Natsu nodded, eyes dark as he looked at the Ring beyond the ropes, rolling his shoulders to stretch them out.

He looked back at Gray, meeting his eyes with a sharp intensity.

"Protect her," he growled and Gray nodded, eyes firm. He understood.

Natsu grunted and turned once more towards Lucy, her confused eyes searching his face, trying to understand the situation.

"Luce!" Natsu yelled, leaning in to speak into her ear. He put one hand against the side of her neck and she inhaled sharply at the heat, leaning into him to better hear his words.

"Stay with Gray!"

Then his hand was gone and he had turned back to the Ring, vaulting over the ropes into the space beyond where he started pacing, swinging his arms, stretching them out, the crowd on every side grasping towards him.

Lucy watched with wide eyes, glancing between Natsu in the Ring and the crowd around them, and suddenly it all clicked into place.

"You're… fighting?! He's FIGHTING?" she yelled, turning to Gray with newfound fury. "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Gray met her eyes with guilt in his own, but he grabbed her by the shoulders, preventing her from surging forward into the Ring herself, and she struggled against him furiously.

"This is insane! What if he gets hurt?!"

"Relax!" Gray yelled, trying to calm the girl down. "Lucy! It's alright! Natsu has won every fight so far tonight! This is the last one! And we know who he will be up against! We've been watching Jura all night, Natsu knows what to do!"

Lucy's eyes widened when she heard that it wasn't Natsu's first match of the night. Her anger wasn't close to diminishing, but she stopped struggling against Gray, simply balling her hands into fists as she glared at the man stretching in the Ring, the crowd surging around them, straining against the ropes.

She turned to Gray and he held his breath at the intensity of her glare.

"He's going to be okay, right Gray?" and all he could do was nod, grim.

"Yeah, he should be."

Lucy nodded, realizing she had no control over the situation. She just had to watch as the love of her life participated in what she suspected was an illegal fight, and hope he didn't get crushed into the dirt before her eyes. She _knew_ she'd had a bad feeling about this.

Levy rubbed Lucy's back, trying to calm her friend down as she stared at the scene wide-eyed. So Natsu was going to fight? And judging by the crowd around them, it was a much anticipated event. She gulped nervously as she continued to look around, uncertain about this entire situation.

 _"Ladies and Gentleman! It is time!"_ the commentator's deep voice rang out once more, eliciting an even louder response from the crowd, if that was even possible.

It surged forward, crushing Levy and Lucy up against the edge of the Ring, Gray trying to shield them as best he could.

_"The Final Fight you've all been waiting for, at the midnight hour! Place your final bets for Salamander! Versus…. Kuroo-GANEEE!"_

The crowd went wild and Gray's eyes shot open in shock. Kurogane? Who the fuck was _Kurogane_? What happened to Jura?! It was supposed to be Jura!

A dark figure was now jumping into the Ring from the other side, swinging easily over the ropes and landing solidly in front of Natsu. The tall man had long black hair pulled back at the nape of his neck, wearing only a pair of black shorts. He had folded his arms in front of his muscular chest, and they were rippling as he flexed them, studded with shining piercings. He smiled with sharp teeth down at Natsu from his impressive height, several inches taller than the other man.

Gray gulped, eyes wide. Who the fuck was _this_?!

As soon as Levy had seen the tall man in front of Natsu, a shocking chill had run through her, despite the oppressive heat all around.

 _Oh god_ , she thought, her eyes wide as she stared at him, as he grinned at Natsu with his familiar smirk. It was Gajeel.

Fuck.

Guess Lucy just won the bet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH! Can't wait to write more Gajeel x Levy next chapter!
> 
> Who will win?! Natsu? Gajeel?! Muahaha! Looking forward to this next one.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Cheers!~


	7. The Midnight Hour

**_Saturday, October 31st, 2020_ **

**_-Magnolia City-_ **

Levy felt the blood drain from her face as she stared at the man in front of her. He was still grinning down at Natsu, smirking in that way she knew so well after she had spent the last three Halloweens running into this exact same man at this exact same time.

Seriously, what was up with her _luck?!_

It took a minute for the shock to fade before Levy was blinking rapidly, trying to catch her breath again. The roar of the surrounding crowd came rushing back and in a moment of panic, Levy swirled around, pulling the hood of her cloak firmly over her head to hide her distinctive hair.

He hadn't seen her, right?!

She ducked behind Gray, who was staring intently at the Ring. She took a moment there, heart pounding in her chest, before she dared to peek back around Gray, peering at the man once more and feeling relief when his eyes weren't burning into her own. He was still focused on Natsu in front of him. He hadn't seemed to have noticed her.

Attracting Gajeel's attention was the absolute last thing she wanted right now, especially right before he was presumably about to punch her best friend's love interest into a pulp in front of them. She gulped.

How could she ever explain to Lucy that this was Gajeel? _Her_ Gajeel?

She was struggling to even comprehend it herself. How was it possible that he was here, in Magnolia City, fighting in this club? She'd never considered before that he was someone to be involved in illegal fighting matches, but she supposed looking at him now it was kind of obvious, he was incredibly fit. She blushed as she caught herself staring at his muscles. She'd never seen him shirtless before.

_Focus, Levy, focus! Gajeel is about to fight Natsu! Of course, Natsu needs to win! Lucy would be devastated if something bad were to happen to him! You need to be rooting for Natsu!_

She glanced now at her friend, whose face was contorted in extreme concern, watching just as intently as Gray beside her.

Damn Lucy and her Blue Moon! That was the only possible explanation for this freak coincidence!

Gajeel was grinning down at the pink-haired man in front of him, sizing him up. He'd been watching Pinkie fight all night, so he had a fair idea as to what to expect.

The man's unexpected success tonight had caused an uproar. It was rare for a complete newcomer to make it this far on their first try. Gajeel wondered if the man had any inkling of an idea as to what kind of attention he was drawing to himself tonight. José had certainly noticed.

And that was why Gajeel was here, in case things got out of hand. He needed to push the odds back into José's favor. Sure, his last minute entry would piss some people off. But José knew how to handle the politics, Gajeel would leave that all to him. Tonight, right now, he just needed to win.

And among the crowd, while there had been some shouts of surprise and discontent, overall they were excited to see him. The name 'Kurogane' had a reputation here. He was a bit of a local legend. This fight between Kurogane and the New Kid would be the talk of the town for months.

Gajeel grinned even wider, ready to give them a show. It felt good to be back in the Ring again, and even though he was confident he could win against Pinkie, he had to admit he was excited to fight him. The man was impulsive and unpredictable. It might even be close. But he would win. He _had_ to win. José didn't tolerate losers.

Natsu was glaring back at the tall, dark-haired man in front of him. He certainly wasn't Jura, but Natsu didn't let that bother him. A fight was a fight.

Granted, it wasn't in his favor that he'd never seen this man fight before, but he grinned at the prospect of getting to find out over the course of the next three bouts. He could feel the adrenaline begin to rush through his veins once more as he hopped from one foot to the other, flexing his hands.

Yeah, he was only just getting started. Let this strange man try to take him down, he was up for a challenge.

The loud sound of the buzzer rang out, signaling the start of the first match.

Natsu and Gajeel both dropped into easygoing stances, shifting back and forth on the balls of their feet, bare knuckled fists raised before them.

The Final Fight consisted of three rounds. They would vary in length, depending on how quickly each man was able to score a point. They could range from as short as thirty seconds, to as long as five minutes if drawn out. The round would end when one of the men was on the ground.

Between rounds, the men would get a short break. There would be no tie, it was unheard of. The winner would be determined by whoever won the most round, best two out of three. One of these men would win tonight, and one would lose.

Lucy found herself desperately wishing for Natsu to win, but as she eyed the tall man before him she was gulping in worry. He was grinning too confidently, too comfortable there in that Ring, like he'd done this a hundred times.

Lucy knew Natsu was a good fighter, he frequently participated in (legal) matches in Hargeon and he was at the gym working out most days after school.

She tried to breathe, reassuring herself that Natsu could do this, if anyone could do this it was him, but worry still creased her brow as her stomach fluttered with anxiety.

Natsu and Gajeel were still eyeing each other, waiting to see who would move to strike first. Around them, the crowd screamed and strained against the ropes, encouraging them to make a move.

Suddenly, Natsu sprang forward, Gajeel grinning at the predictably impulsive move. He swiftly raised an arm to block, Natsu swinging in hard with a series of punches, first to Gajeel's left ear, then his right.

He blocked each one with ease, pushing Natsu back slightly and forcing him into defense as he retaliated.

Natsu grunted at the strength behind Gajeel's blocks and the following punches he narrowly avoided, dodging the last one by a hair's breadth.

He narrowed his eyes, watching Gajeel more carefully now before jumping forward again, a storm of fists, forcing Gajeel to defend himself once more.

Lucy watched frantically, trying to keep up as the two men exchanged a flurry of blows, neither able to get past the other's defenses. Each one blocked or dodged the punches, maybe managing to brush the other, but never able to connect for a solid blow.

Natsu whipped his leg around, seeing if he could hit Gajeel's side, knock him down, but the man quickly dodged and retaliated, wasting no time in putting the pressure back on Natsu, hoping to throw him off balance while he regained his footing.

Lucy clutched her hands in front of her chest, unable to look away. The rowdy crowd around her was pushing into her back, pushing her up against the ropes despite Gray trying to shove his shoulder between her and the men behind to give her some space.

Suddenly a loud crack rang out as Gajeel's left fist connected solidly to Natsu's face, throwing the man backwards to sag against the ropes. The men in the crowd behind him were pushing him back up and he spit to the side as he righted himself, stumbling forward.

Lucy's shout was lost in the noise around her, and she gripped the rope in front of her tightly. Beside her, Gray growled darkly, arms folded in front of his bare chest with pent up frustration that he couldn't jump in to help his friend.

Natsu shook his head, dizzy for only a second before he was roaring and running back at Gajeel, swinging more furiously, forcing Gajeel to grunt in surprise as he was pushed backward.

Their back and forth continued for only a minute more until Gajeel growled when he spotted an opening and he thrust his way in, right fist skimming past Natsu's head but twisting about to catch him behind the back, using his left leg to whip the boy's legs out from under him.

Natsu crashed to the ground as Gajeel punched downwards, grazing his right hand cheek and hitting the ground by his head.

The crowd erupted as Natsu gasped, Gajeel hunched over him, the man's sharp red eyes glaring directly into his own. The loud buzzer overhead signaled the end of that round and Natsu ground his teeth as the deep voice of the commentator announced who had scored a point.

" _Kurogane!"_

Gajeel stood up, shaking his hands out, and sauntered to the corner of the Ring where he had entered, hopping from foot to foot.

 _Too easy_ , he grinned, ignoring the grasping hands around him as he worked to steady his breath, blood pounding in his ears.

Natsu pushed himself to his feet and walked back towards where he'd left his friends, glaring furiously.

There were still two rounds left. If he wanted to win the whole fight, he needed to win both. He shook his head, slightly dizzy from the pounding.

As soon as Natsu had gone down, a new wave of fear had washed through Lucy. She had let out a shaky breath as he'd stood back up, thankful that he'd been able to, but watching him walk back to her and Gray with an increasingly swollen black eye and a cut cheek had her frowning desperately.

Lucy didn't want to see Natsu like this, the sight made her want to cry. She pushed the tears down, instead straining forward against the rope at his approach, trying to see how bad the damage was.

"NATSU!" she cried as he walked up and Gray grasped his forearm in support, frowning deeply at him.

"Ohmygosh are you okay?" Lucy cried, anxiously reaching out towards his face, inspecting his bleeding cheek and black eye as he growled and glared past her.

"Who the fuck is that!" Gray yelled, motioning towards the glowering man on the other side of the Ring.

Natsu shook his head, eyes narrowed as he met Gray's own.

"Dunno!" he grunted, clenching and unclenching his fists. "But his punches hit like iron rods!"

Gray swallowed.

"You okay?" he shouted above the noise around them and Natsu simply nodded firmly, glaring still.

"Yeah, no sweat! I'm gonna crush him! Just needed to get a feel for his fighting style!"

He grinned darkly as he met Gray's concerned eyes.

Lucy frowned as the shrill sound of the buzzer rang out once more, signaling the end of the break. What, already?

The first round had been barely a couple of minutes, but it'd easily been the most terrifying couple of minutes of her life, and now she had to do it all over again?!

Natsu turned swiftly, intent on meeting Gajeel again for the next bout, but on an impulse Lucy reached forward and grabbed his right arm before he could walk away, spinning him towards her to reach up and cup his uninjured check in one hand, bringing his face down closer to hers. Lightly, she brushed a kiss across his right cheek, just under the cut, causing Natsu's eyes to widen in shock.

And just like that she let go and Natsu found himself walking back into the Ring, a growing grin spreading across his face as he once again met his opponent in the center.

The crowd around them was roaring at the display and Natsu felt giddy. He punched his right fist into the palm of his hand as he met Gajeel's eyes, his own igniting.

"I'M ALL FIRED UP!" Natsu yelled, dropping back into a fighting stance.

Gajeel snorted. Ridiculous. But the crowd loved it.

Lucy clutched at the rope, blushing at what she'd just done. She glanced around self-consciously, and then a new spike of anxiety shot through her when she realized… wait… where was Levy?!

Lucy twisted around frantically, trying to find her friend. She was sure Levy had been beside her just a moment before?! With a rush of relief she spotted Levy crushed up against Gray's back, clutching her hood tightly over her head.

Lucy frowned as she met Levy's gaze, and the girl smiled back shakily, trying to reassure her.

"LEVY!" Lucy cried, leaning towards her to be heard. "Are you okay!? Are you feeling okay!?"

Levy nodded in reply, trying to put more confidence in her gaze as she met her friend's worried eyes.

"No worries, Lu-chan! I'm fine! Just… Just… A little overwhelmed I guess!"

And it was true, Levy was a swirling cacophony of nerves, barely able to watch the two men fight in the Ring as she hunched behind Gray.

How could she ever tell Lucy that it had been _Gajeel_ who had just beaten up Natsu, and it was _Gajeel_ who would likely beat up Natsu more? After all, his take-down of Natsu at the end there had been swift and clean, he clearly knew what he was doing and it made Levy all the more nervous.

But at the same time, whenever Natsu's punches or kicks had gotten close to hitting Gajeel, Levy had felt her stomach drop and she cursed her traitorous heart. She needed to be rooting for Natsu!

Lucy nodded, she was overwhelmed herself.

"Hang on, Lev!" Lucy yelled back, trying to reassure her. "We'll get out of here as soon as we can! But I can't leave Natsu, not now!"

Levy nodded, understanding.

Just then the gasps of the crowd had Lucy whipping her head back towards the Ring, where Gajeel had forced Natsu up against the rope nearby, only a couple feet away from where she and Gray were standing.

He had him in a headlock and Lucy's stomach churned, eyes wide, unable to look away.

Levy was focused on the two men as well, peering around from behind Gray to watch anxiously. Suddenly, a man in the crowd behind her was jostled by the masses, running into her back roughly and shoving her forward with his weight, past Gray and towards the Ring. A startled cry came from her lips as she fell against the rope.

Levy gasped as her cloak was tugged, her hood slipping off her head to reveal her tousled hair underneath. With a startled cry she pushed away from the ropes and tried to pull the hood back up, to recover her head, taking a step back to dodge behind Gray once more, heart pounding.

Gajeel had been gloating, Pinkie held beneath him in a solid headlock. Oh, this was all too easy! He just needed to throw a couple punches at the man's head, knock his feet out from under him, and he'd have him back on the ground again in seconds, guaranteeing both a win for this round and a win for the Fight itself.

Without warning, a shocking flash of blue appeared to his right, shining out amongst the crowd like a beacon of light. Gajeel blinked and whipped his head up towards where the blue had appeared, scanning the crowd around them.

Normally, Gajeel put effort into ignoring the people around him in fights. Getting distracted by it was a rookie mistake, and he'd spent enough time in the Ring to know how to tune the crowd out.

But now, he narrowed his eyes as the rush of noise and heat and movement around him suddenly crashed down over his senses. He scanned the crowd intently, trying to see where that blue had come from, but only seeing the distorted faces of grimy men, punching the air and shouting back at him.

 _No fucking way_ , he thought, still frantically sweeping his eyes around the edge of the Ring. There was no fucking way Levy was here, in this writhing crowd of men that was urging him to keep fighting.

But it'd been such a distinctive color, one he'd thought about so often. One that only belonged to Levy. Where had it come from?

He shook his head, growling at himself, trying to focus. Had his treacherous mind made it up? Was he seeing things now, actually _seeing_ her in his peripheral vision? Were the glimpses of her that roamed through his head while daydreaming and sleeping now coming out to haunt him?

Natsu felt the man's grip grow rigid and he used the opportunity to wriggle out of his grasp, whirling around to instantly attack, forcing Gajeel's attention back on him.

Gajeel growled deeply, at Natsu's attack and his own lack of concentration. He needed to get back in the game, stop watching the crowd, focus instead on bringing Pinkie down.

But now that the shade of blue had imprinted itself in his mind, he couldn't stop seeing it out of the corner of his eyes. Every time he zeroed in on Pinkie, swiftly dodging the punches and kicks coming from him, flashes of blue skittered in the background, causing him to frown.

He couldn't focus properly and he shook his head, furious. Now was not the time for Levy to be haunting him!

He found his eyes drifting back to the crowd, distracted again, and that was when Natsu surged forward with a roar, catching Gajeel off guard.

Natsu didn't know why the fierce man was suddenly so out of it, but he grinned when he saw the opening and rushed in, punching the man powerfully in the gut. The punch caused Gajeel to grunt, eyes wide as he staggered backwards.

Natsu wasted no time in following up, swiftly punching Gajeel once more to push him off his feet and he crashed down to the ground, Natsu following closely behind, hitting him in the chest and left shoulder as Gajeel held his arms upwards, trying to block the punches.

The buzzer went off, the crowd growing wild. He was down. He'd lost the round.

" _Salamander!"_

Natsu grinned, canines flashing as he jumped up, running around the edge of the Ring just outside of the reaching hands of the crowd, whooping loudly and pumping his fists to elicit a great roar from the crowd. He was smiling wildly as he rushed back to Lucy and Gray, breathless.

"I did it! Luce, did you see?! I'm gonna win!" he grinned, his attitude a complete one-eighty from how it had been after the first round.

Lucy grinned back widely, Natsu's vigor contagious, and for the first time she felt a thrill of excitement rush through her.

Seeing him in that chokehold had almost been the last straw, but when he broke out of it and had quickly pushed his opponent back, punching him into the ground, she'd found herself yelling out along with the crowd around her, with nervous but also exhilarating energy coursing through her veins.

What a rush! Guess this was why people watched these kinds of things!

But it was only good when Natsu was winning, and thank goodness he'd gotten out of this round with barely a scratch on him. The eye and cheek were more than enough damage.

Gajeel glared darkly, pushing back up to his feet and stalking back to his side of the Ring, his eyes raking the crowd once more as he went.

But this was ridiculous, Levy wasn't here! Why would she be. He was truly going crazy, seeing things that weren't there. He growled again at himself, shaking his head hard as if he could shake the color of her hair right out. He needed to focus! He couldn't let Pinkie win! This loss had been a fluke and he needed to win the next round, not only to win this fight for José but also to put that grinning bastard back in his place.

He'd had that round in the bag and he'd been a fool for letting it slip from his grasp because of something he'd thought he'd seen.

He closed his eyes, forcing his breath to calm down, rolling his shoulders and stretching out. He breathed deeply as he analyzed his body, pressing lightly at the places where Pinkie had punched his chest to assess the damage. Luckily, the spots just felt tender. They'd likely bruise into a deep purple-ish black. But there were no broken bones.

The sound of the buzzer rang out once more and Gajeel snapped his eyes open with new determination, striding to meet Pinkie in the middle one last time. Things were getting serious now, no more playing around.

Both men dropped back into their fighting stances for a third time, circling each other slowly with shifty steps, focused only on the man in front and ignoring the chaos around them.

With a growl it was Gajeel who attacked first, Natsu swinging his arms up strongly to block. He narrowed his eyes at Gajeel's renewed strength, but the adrenaline from his previous win was still coursing through him and he grinned as he swiftly retaliated. This fight would be his!

Levy was panting wide-eyed, hiding once more behind Gray and staring intently at Gajeel and Natsu as they repeatedly dashed at each other, punches and kicks more furious that ever.

Had he seen her?! She was freaking out that Gajeel might have noticed her in the crowd. It would just be too complicated if he recognized her, especially at a time like this. She wanted nothing more than to escape back to the safety of their hotel and meet up with their friends again. They were no-doubt wondering by now where she and Lucy had run off to.

The thought had Levy slipping her phone out from her pocket, frowning down at it.

She gasped as she noticed it was only nine minutes past midnight. No way, only _nine minutes_ had passed since the start of this fight? It had felt like an eternity!

She quickly scanned through her notifications, seeing that she had multiple texts and missed calls from Jet and Droy (no surprise there), and one text from Lisanna.

Levy was typing a reply when a new roar erupted from the crowd around her. Something must have happened in the Ring. Levy turned to see, but the increased movement that accompanied the roar had someone bumping into Levy's arm and she gasped as her phone slipped, skidding across the ground.

It stopped several feet away, among the many feet crowded together. Only a short ways, but it might as well have been miles.

Without thinking Levy dashed forward, her small stature helping her slip between bodies, intent on retrieving her phone before someone stepped on it or kicked it further away. Her heart sunk as that exact worry became reality. A blue tennis shoe knocked into it, pushing it deeper into the crowd.

Levy gasped, trying to reach it, scrambling through the crush of bodies. She was panting when she paused, one eye still on her phone, but she realized she might be pretty far away from the Ring by now. She glanced back, trying to spot her friends, and was only barely able to see Lucy's blonde hair. She swallowed.

Dammit! She didn't want to lose track of her friends, but she also really wanted to get her phone back! It was so close! Only a couple people were between herself and her phone now, and she hesitated one last time before deciding to take the plunge. She'd grab it quick, before anything else happened!

But just as she was reaching down, inches away from it's shiny blue surface, the final buzzer rang out. Levy gasped as the crowd surged forward around her, erupting in cheers. Her stomach dropped as she was forced away from her phone, already losing track of it in the rush of feet, and she knew with sorrow that it was now gone for good.

Her eyes grew wide as the commentator announced the winner of the Final Fight, and around her the crowd was chanting his name. She tried to turn, to look back at the Ring, but now that the fight was over the people in the crowd were starting to jostle every which way, heading towards the bathroom or the bar, away from the Ring itself.

She cried out as she was swept up like a leaf in the wind, growing increasingly disoriented as she was pushed and shoved every which way, unable to see above the tall men around her or figure out how to get back to the Ring. It was all she could do to stay afloat in the swirling sea of people, and she just prayed that she wouldn't end up broken and battered, like her poor phone, lost somewhere under the crush of the crowd.

* * *

It had all happened so quickly. One minute Natsu and Gajeel were neck and neck, trading blows between each other, both moving at a rapid speed with furious energy swirling around them as they fought.

Lucy could barely watch the intense brutality before her, eyes widening in shock whenever the occasional splatter of blood from a well-aimed punch sprayed into the eager crowd.

The anxiety was back, overwhelming her senses and overpowering the excitement she had previously felt, when Natsu had been winning.

The man before him was fighting with a new kind of ferocious intensity, one Lucy had never seen before, and his dark aura almost made it look like shadows were swirling around his feet.

Natsu was holding his own, getting the occasional punch or kick in, but he wasn't able to get past Gajeel's defenses this time.

A misplaced step had Gajeel surging forward, reaching down to grab Natsu's left arm and spinning the man around, holding onto his arm as he kicked him in the small of his back.

Natsu screamed, his arm pulled back at an unnatural angle, and he crumpled forward to the ground when Gajeel let go.

The final buzzer blared, drowning out Lucy's scream as she watched Natsu fall, hitting the ground hard. The crowd at her back surged forward, pressing her into the ropes once more.

" _KUROGANE WINS!"_

The crowd began chanting his name as Lucy slipped between the ropes, rushing forward to Natsu's side, completely oblivious of the fearsome Kurogane who was still standing only steps away.

"Natsu!" Lucy shrieked, kneeling at his side, and suddenly Gray was there too, helping her roll Natsu over onto his back. His face was scrunched up in pain and he groaned, hissing when the movement jostled his injured arm.

Lucy gasped as she looked at it, still twisted at an awkward angle. She was on the verge of tears, heart throbbing, as she clutched him tightly, leaning in to wipe dirt from his cheek.

Natsu grimaced as he was turned over, pain shooting through his left shoulder. He squinted up at the harsh lights above the Ring, trying to make sense of what had just happened, when suddenly something hot and wet was hitting his cheek, causing him to blink.

He smiled as Lucy's face swam into view, contorted with fear and panic as tears began running down her cheeks, dripping onto his own.

"Hey, Luce," Natsu said, reaching up with his right hand to brush the tears off her cheeks.

"Why're you crying, weirdo?" he asked, voice raspy as he grinned up at her.

And a shaky laugh came out between her sobs, as she looked down at the man who was trying to comfort her, when _he_ was the one beaten and bloody on the ground.

* * *

Levy was trying not to panic as she kept getting pushed around by the crowd, increasingly disoriented.

She was whipping her head around, trying to jump up and see which way the Ring was, when suddenly a strong hand gripped onto her arm and pulled her out from the throng into a corridor of space that ran along the edges of the crowd.

Levy gasped as her back hit the wall, struggling to breath.

She looked up, wide-eyed, at the man who had pulled her out, his hand gripping her arm.

He grinned down at her darkly in a way that had her stomach twisting.

His teeth flashed, eyes black, maroon hair messy on his head.

"What's a little thing like you doing here?" he asked her, and Levy narrowed her eyes at him, not liking the way he still held onto her arm.

She pulled it roughly from his grasp and he raised an eyebrow at her, continuing to smirk.

This was the kind of scenario Levy would have rather avoided, getting noticed by someone in this crowd. She gulped as she tried to look back above the heads of the people around them, scanning for Lucy or Gray, or even Natsu. Was he okay?

"Not gonna answer? You just seem a little bit out of place. Aren't you hot in that thick cloak of yours?" the man was saying, crossing his arms as he stared at her.

"Looking for something?" he asked when she continued to ignore him.

"Just trying to find my friends, thanks," she said curtly, glaring at him briefly before snapping her attention back to the crowd. Couldn't he just leave her alone?

He chuckled, propping an arm on the wall above her head. Levy gulped as he leaned down, caging her in, forcing her to meet his eyes once more.

"Is that so?" he asked, smiling as nervousness flittered across her face. He was right in front of her and she couldn't look away.

* * *

Gajeel was heaving, breathing hard through his nostrils as he tried to catch his breath.

He glared at Pinkie on the ground before him, who now had a blonde girl and another man anxiously leaning over him, panic evident in their movements.

Gajeel snorted and turned away, towards the crowd. Its presence was once again washing over him, as he became aware of the noise and heat. He grinned when he noticed the crowd was chanting his name.

Slipping through the ropes, he pushed forward into the swirling mass of people going every which way, largely ignoring the rough slaps to his arms or back as people congratulated him for the win. He just grunted, eyes forward, intent on getting back to the changing room so he could sit for a moment and relax.

He didn't want to admit it, but that had been a close call. Pinkie had come close in that last round to getting through his defenses again, and he'd had to focus with extra intensity to prevent that from happening.

It wouldn't have been close at all if not for that blasted flash of blue during the second round. Even thinking about it now had him glowering at the ground. Where had that even come from? Had his mind made it up? Was he seeing things? Going insane?

He was mulling this over as he finally pushed out from the thick of the crowd, headed towards the hallway at the back which would lead to the locker rooms.

Gajeel's eyes widened as he spotted the exact same shade of blue out of the corner of his eyes again. No way, no fucking way, was he really going crazy?

He turned his head to the left and inhaled sharply when he saw that there, leaning up against the wall, cowering beneath another man, was Levy.

_No fucking way._

He blinked, frozen, unable to move.

Was that a ghost? An apparition? Was he finally going mad?

Had he gotten punched in the head? Received brain damage from the fight?

Blinking rapidly he shook his head, but the girl before him didn't dissipate like he'd half expected her to.

When he finally processed that it was indeed Levy, standing up against that wall in a long black cloak with a ridiculous short skirt, he felt a darkness begin to rage through him.

What the fuck was Erik doing pinning Levy against the wall like that?! Didn't matter that he'd just been in a rough fight, he wanted to beat that bastard into a bloody pulp, put him on the ground right next to Pinkie, how _dare_ he…

Gajeel strode forward, stopping only a foot away from Erik who glanced up in surprise.

He backed away from Levy to greet the man, a slimy smile on his face.

"If it isn't the great Kurogane!" he said, smirking at Gajeel who had crossed his arms over his chest and was glaring down at the man with unbridled intensity.

A flash of confusion appeared on Erik's face, he hesitated, before his smirk returned.

"Good job winning that fight, _Kurogane_. But I must say, it was a pretty close call at one point, eh?" he jabbed, a challenge in his eyes. "What, have you lost your touch?"

Gajeel growled, refusing to let the man egg him on. He really hated Erik. Always had. But now he really, _really_ detested him.

"Kinana's lookin' fer ya," he grunted out, Erik frowning at that.

"Really? You sure?" he asked, skeptical. He turned to look back at the bar where the beautiful barmaid worked, but couldn't see her.

Meeting Gajeel's eyes again, he shuddered slightly at the look in them. Maybe right now wasn't the time to be teasing the man…

With one last look at Levy, Erik backed up.

"Guess I'll go check in with her then," he said, slipping off into the crowd, heading towards the bar on the other side of the room.

Gajeel breathed out through his nose, trying to calm the rage inside. He turned to Levy, who was cowering against the wall, having just watched the interaction between the two men with concern.

"H-hi, Gajeel-," Levy said now, but he just grunted, placing a hand on her shoulder and pulling her from the wall to walk in front of him, heading back towards the hallway again.

"Walk," he growled out, leaving no room for argument. Levy gulped as she was pushed forward into that dark hallway. She frowned. She was really fucking sick of being manhandled tonight.

Gajeel looked around once more before stepping into the hallway behind Levy, making sure no one had seen them.

_Seriously, what the fuck was she doing here?_

* * *

Lucy hugged Natsu tightly as they stood on the cold sidewalk outside The Dragon's Den.

She held her phone to her ear, frantically scanning the crowd as it streamed out of the venue.

" _Hi! This is Levy! I can't come to the phone right now-,"_

Lucy cursed as the call went straight to voicemail for the tenth time in a row. She was frowning deeply as she turned to look at Gray, who was standing on the other side of Natsu, helping to support his sagging weight between the two of them.

As soon as they'd determined that Natsu was okay and _not_ on the brink of death (as her panicked mind had told her at the time), Lucy had looked up searching for Levy and felt a new wave of panic sweep through her when her friend was nowhere to be seen.

 _Oh no, where had she gone?_ Lucy had frantically whipped her head around, trying to spot the girl in the quickly dispersing crowd.

"Gray, where's Levy?!" Lucy had asked him, turning to see that he was just as surprised at their friend's absence.

"Wasn't she right behind you?!" Lucy cried.

"I thought she was," Gray grunted in concern.

A groan from Natsu had them turning back to him, Lucy gulping as his face contorted in pain.

"Gray, we need to get him to a hospital," she'd said, trying to choke down the tears that were threatening to overwhelm her again. Gray had nodded in agreement and together the two of them had managed to get Natsu up, supporting his weight between them as they'd slowly inched outside with the other people exiting the venue.

Now, Lucy was still looking around, trying to find Levy as Gray was calling a cab.

She'd tried her friend's phone more than ten times but Levy wasn't picking up. She hadn't even texted back.

Lucy shook her head, completely bewildered. It wasn't like Levy to disappear. Had something bad happened to her? She gulped in concern.

But Natsu really needed to get to a hospital. His limp arm was hanging at his side and he was clearly in pain, even if he insisted he'd be alright.

The cab pulled up to the curb and Gray jumped forward to open the door, helping Lucy get Natsu inside. She was forced to slide in next to him, to give him support, his head already falling onto her shoulder.

Lucy looked back up at Gray, a deep frown on her face as she met his eyes.

"Get Natsu to the hospital, I'll stay and look for Levy," he said, concern on his face as well.

Lucy nodded thankfully. He closed the door and patted the cab, to indicate to the driver that they were good to go.

Lucy strained to watch Gray as they sped off. He was already turning back towards The Dragon's Den, to go back inside and look for their friend.

 _Dammit, Levy! You better be okay!_ Lucy thought, the anxiety that had become her friend tonight still swirling through her body.

Beside her, Natsu leaned into her warmth, her smell helping to drive some of the pain away as the cab sped down the street towards the nearest hospital.

* * *

Gajeel was _pissed._

He pushed Levy into the room before him, slamming the door hard and locking it for good measure. Levy rubbed her shoulder where he'd been roughly holding it, frowning. She looked around. They were in some kind of locker room, rows of dingy metal lockers lined the walls, a singular bench was bolted to the floor in the middle.

Gajeel spun around and stalked towards her, eyes flashing with anger. Levy's breath caught in her throat. She'd never seen him so angry. She took an involuntary step backwards, but met his glare with her own.

_Who did he think he was to treat her like this?_

"Well good to see you _too,_ Gajeel."

Gajeel simply leaned in, forcing her to meet his eyes as he growled.

"What the _fuck_ are ya doin' here, Levy."

"I'm here with my friends," she retorted, frowning deeply at his tone. "I actually need to get back to them, Gajeel, so as lovely as it was to reconnect, I really need to go-,"

"No," he spat out, moving away from her and beginning to pace the room.

" _No?_ " Levy breathed out, eyebrows to her hairline as she watched him pace like a wild animal. Seriously, what was his _problem?_

"No!" he said again, more furiously this time, not meeting her eyes.

Gajeel was furious. He was angry, livid, irate. Just downright fucking _mad_. He couldn't concentrate as the rush of emotions swirled up inside him, taking over. Maybe the leftover adrenaline from the fight was still coursing through his veins, but thinking about the way Erik had stood, sneering down at _his_ Levy, made him want to punch the man's fucking lights out.

With a yell of frustration he rushed one of the metal lockers, punching it solidly. As soon as he'd done it, he winced. His knuckles were still sore from the fight. But the pain helped clear the fog of anger a bit, and he stood there heaving, trying to sort through this mess in his head.

This _was_ a fucking mess! What the hell was Levy doing here?! What was she doing in Magnolia City, much less in the fucking _Dragon's Den_ , a snake pit for José's men? How many of his men had already seen her? Had anyone other than Erik noticed? Had anyone seen Gajeel bring her back here?

His eyes were wide as he struggled to breath, the rush of emotions and panicked thoughts too much. With a chilling moment of clarity, Gajeel realized which one was taking over, rooting in his gut and blossoming upward through his entire being.

Gajeel was fucking scared.

Levy's jaw had dropped as Gajeel punched the locker, denting it badly.

What had that locker ever done to _him_!? And why was he so upset?!

Without thinking through it, she walked up to him timidly, the man simply standing there and breathing heavily, eyes wild. She put a hand on his arm and it sent a jolt through him, his eyes flashing to her own.

Levy looked back with deep concern.

Gajeel was suddenly aware again of how close Levy was to him. She was right there.

She was looking up at him, concern in those great big Hazel eyes of hers, and he swallowed thickly. Sure, she'd been dancing through his thoughts for the past year, flashes of her hair and eyes frequently coming to the forefront of his mind.

But seeing her, _here,_ right in front of him. It was the real thing and it was so much better than anything his mind could have remembered.

He slowly breathed out, his breath slowing down and returning to a normal pattern.

She was _here_ , right in front of him, and all he wanted to do was lean down and wrap her up in a deep hug, inhaling her scent. He glanced down at those big inviting lips of hers, currently pouting with worry. An urge welled up in him to close the gap between them, capture her lips in his own, force her to gasp in surprise as he took her breath away. A new greedy hunger was coiling in his stomach at the thought.

But instead he sighed, glaring at himself, because seriously, what was wrong with him?

She was still looking at him with deep concern and he frowned because he was concerned too. Really fucking concerned. He needed to get Levy out of there as fast as fucking possible, but he also couldn't let a single soul see her. If José ever found out about her… Or if he found out that she'd been with Gajeel… He groaned as he realized maybe he'd made things worse by bringing her back here into the locker room with him. As soon as they walked out into the hallway, if anyone saw her back here with him, José would find out.

Levy let out a breath she'd been holding as she felt Gajeel's muscles relax under her hand. He'd been so _stressed_. Was it from the fight? But, he'd won, right? Shouldn't he be elated about that?

Looking at him, she noticed that bruises were beginning to form on his chest where Natsu had hit him. He was covered in small cuts and scrapes, some bleeding a little. She frowned, rubbing his forearm without really thinking about it, inspecting a bruise forming there.

Gajeel's cheeks blushed at the touch, his gut swirling with heat. The feel of her hand on his arm was making his hair rise.

He shook his head harshly. This wasn't the time for that, even if his pants were starting to get a little tight.

With a grunt he shoved her away, maybe a bit more harshly than he'd intended, and he turned back to the bench in the middle of the room where he'd left his duffle. He grabbed a black t-shirt, pulling it over his head.

Levy's eyebrows lowered, peeved that she'd been pushed away, but also worried now about his injuries.

"Shouldn't you do something about those bruises?" she asked.

Gajeel just grunted in response. "Nah, they'll heal."

Levy opened her mouth to argue, but she really didn't know the first thing about taking care of injuries like that. And speaking of injuries, if Gajeel looked like this, what did Natsu look like?

"Gajeel, listen, I need to go catch up with my friends. They're probably-,"

"No."

Levy frowned.

"No, Gajeel, they're probably worried about me and I need to go-,"

" _No."_

Levy's frown deepened.

"You can't keep me here Gajeel! I need to go make sure they're okay! I can't-!,"

" _No!"_

Gajeel spun on her again, anger once more flaring in his eyes. He stalked forward and she was forced to back up, gulping as her back hit one of the lockers against the wall.

Gajeel brought his hands up, slamming them on either side of her head, caging her in. He leaned down, nostrils flaring.

"I said _no_ ," Gajeel growled out, his voice low.

Levy stared back at his eyes, mere inches away from her own, and she found she wasn't able to breathe. But she was starting to get pissed now too. Who was he to tell her what she could do?

She glared back fiercely, matching his intensity with a look of her own.

"You can't trap me here!" she cried.

Gajeel stared at her for a minute, but then his lips curled up into a smirk, sharp teeth flashing.

"That's exactly what I'm doin', ain't it?"

Levy's face grew hot and her eyes flicked to his lips. Her traitorous mind flashed to the bet she'd made with Lucy, and her cheeks began to burn as her blush deepened.

"No!" she cried, reaching up with her hands to push Gajeel away. "Get off of me, you jerk!"

Pushing against his chest was like pushing against an iron wall. Levy could feel the muscles underneath the flimsy fabric of his black t-shirt, and her face nearly exploded.

She whimpered, flustered and furious.

Gajeel stared down at the girl between his arms, all hot and bothered because of him, and the tightness in his pants grew tighter.

He sighed, leaning down for just a moment to press his forehead against hers, breathing in deeply.

Then he was backing up, moving away several steps and returning to his duffel bag, leaving a very flustered and confused Levy panting against the wall, suddenly cold in the absence of his heat.

 _Get it together, girl!_ Levy thought to herself, tugging her cloak firmly around herself and shaking her head. Her heart was running a hundred miles a minute.

"I need-" she said, shaky. "I need to get back to my friends. _Please."_

Gajeel chuckled at the sound of her voice, but he turned to her seriously.

"No, yer not goin' back out there."

"What? Why not? Seriously, Gajeel, this is ridiculous. I lost my phone so I can't even call them. Can I at least use yours to let them know I'm okay?"

Gajeel thought about the burner phone in his bag and shook his head. No way, it wouldn't be safe, José could monitor his phone. What if he looked into the number Levy dialed and connected it back to her? No, he wouldn't allow that to happen. He couldn't afford to let José know anything about her.

Levy frowned again for the hundredth time as Gajeel shook his head.

"Well then what do you expect, Gajeel? What am I supposed to do? Why are you insisting that I can't leave? I mean, I know this place isn't exactly my scene, and thanks by the way for getting that guy off my case earlier, but seriously, you can't just keep me here all night."

Gajeel was thinking. No, he couldn't, and in fact he wanted her to get out of here as soon as possible, get far away. But he couldn't allow her to be seen…

He cursed as he realized his car was in front. It'd be impossible to get to it without passing several dozen of José's men. Even leaving this room, there could be any number of them in the hallway outside. How was he going to sneak Levy out?

She was still ranting behind him.

"What's so bad about this bar anyways? Why were you so pissed to see me? I mean I know, I wasn't exactly _thrilled_ to see you either, talk about another crazy coincidence, but that doesn't mean you can just hoard me away in this room?! And now you won't let me leave?! Seriously, who do you think you are to tell me what I can or can't do, or where I can or can't go? I'm not some _object_ , Gajeel, you can't just push me around or stuff me in a bag, I'm not your _possession-_ "

Gajeel's eyes widened as he listened to her, a thought slowly formulating in his head. He turned to her, smirking again and she stopped midsentence.

She stared back at him, frowning once more, decidedly _not_ liking the way he was looking at her now.

* * *

Gray sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he pushed against the current of the crowd flowing out of The Dragon's Den, trying to force his way back inside.

The bar was significantly less crowded now, most people having exited the building immediately after the fight. With less bodies, the place opened up before him. The people left were milling lazily about, mostly congregated by the bars. They were still shouting out with raucous laughter, but the noise level was much more manageable than it had been before. Gray liked that it was a lot less claustrophobic.

Where could Levy be? He glanced around, eyeing the bar. The Ring itself still stood out in the middle of the room, surrounded by the trash and spilled drinks the crowd had left in their wake. A solitary light still shone on it. But there were only a couple of men standing nearby, no Levy.

Gray glanced back to the bar, walking towards the nearest one. Why would Levy have stayed behind to go to the bar? It was entirely unlike her to ditch them, much less for a drink.

Now that he was thinking about it, it was more likely that she had gone to the bathroom, or maybe gotten swept outside as people left? But why wasn't she answering her phone?

He frowned as he looked around, trying to find the bathrooms, when suddenly the sight of blue hair had him whipping his head back. Was that Levy? The lighting made it hard to tell if it was the same shade and he rushed towards it anyways.

"Levy!" Gray called, nearing the girl whose back was to him, standing nearby a table by the bar.

"Levy! We were looking for-,"

The girl turned, Gray's words dying in his throat as he realized that this was _not_ Levy. A small blush warmed his cheeks when he also realized how much of an idiot he'd been to even think this could have been Levy in the first place.

The woman before him was staring back with deep blue eyes. Her long hair was a much deeper shade of blue than Levy's was, and it curled slightly above her shoulders in a very flattering way. She was dressed simply, in all black, but the clothing was tight fitting and Gray gulped as he glanced down and accidentally noticed how much cleavage she had. Why was her shirt so low cut?!

Juvia was star struck. This handsomely gorgeous man had sauntered up to her and was now staring back into her eyes, a husky look in his own as he glanced her over. She was practically swooning as she noticed his bare chest, the hard ridges of his muscles clearly defined. He had a collar of some kind around his neck still, with a skull in the front, but the accessory paired with a bare chest had Juvia's heart fluttering. He was so sexy and _cute_! Had she died and gone to heaven?!

"Sorry, you're not Levy…" Gray trailed off, distracted by the way she was looking at him. He swallowed heavily. It was a little intense. The girl smiled back, unperturbed.

"That's alright," she said, her voice smooth and cool. "Juvia doesn't mind."

"So, your name is Juvia?" he asked and she nodded, unable to look away from how adorable his face looked in the light.

"I'm Gray," he replied, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

"Listen, have you seen another girl with blue hair around here? She's shorter, and her hair is a bit lighter than yours."

Juvia hummed, thoughtful.

"No, Juvia hasn't seen any other girls with blue hair here tonight. Unless it was a wig? Maybe she took it off?"

Gray was shaking his head, "No, it's her natural hair color…"

Gray gave the room another sweep. No Levy.

"Where could she be? Maybe she's in the bathroom?" he was mostly just thinking out loud but the question had Juvia pointing to a door at the end of the bar and he looked at it, uncomprehending at first.

"Oh, that's the bathroom?" he asked, suddenly realizing what she meant. Juvia nodded.

"Yes, but it's the _girls_ bathroom."

Gray met her eyes blankly for a moment, before he blushed. Juvia giggled. He was so adorable!

"Juvia could go check if you'd like," she said, batting her eyes at him.

"Uh, yeah sure, that'd be great actually," Gray said, clearing his throat awkwardly. He dug his hands into his pockets as she nodded and turned towards the door, smoothly walking away from him.

He caught himself staring and shook his head. What was he doing, getting distracted? He needed to focus on finding Levy. He flipped his phone out to check if she'd replied to his texts or calls, but no dice.

The strange girl returned a moment later, shaking her head as she walked up to him.

"Juvia didn't see any girls in the bathroom," she said, "blue hair or otherwise."

Gray frowned. "Alright, well thanks for checking…"

"Juvia could help you keep looking, if you'd like," she said, looking up at him hopefully.

Gray's eyes widened, a little surprised, but he found himself nodding.

"Okay, uh, yeah, sure. That'd be great, thanks."

"There is a hallway that leads to the back. Maybe your friend went back there?"

Juvia now pointed to a dark hallway, at the back of the room.

"Juvia works here, she could take you back there if you'd like. It's employees only, but people wander back there sometimes."

Gray nodded and followed the girl as she led the way towards the hallway, moving once again as if she was gliding through water. Her walk was just so smooth.

Gray found his cheeks tinting again and he swallowed, looking away from the girl in front of him.

_Come on, Gray. Levy. Focus on finding Levy._

* * *

"What the hell? Have you gone mad?" Levy cried, staring wide-eyed as Gajeel pointed to his large black duffel bag.

It was a really big one, the kind you could carry punching bags around in. Really, really big. And Levy was pretty small, he figured she could squeeze into it.

"I need ta get ya out, Shrimp, and I don't want anyone seein'. You'll fit," he grinned back at her outraged face.

"I'm not going to squeeze into your bag and let you carry me around like a sack of potatoes!"

Levy was completely flabbergasted. One minute he was furious, punching out lockers, the next he was refusing to let her leave this room unless she was in his _bag_?

_What was wrong with him?!_

"This is completely ridiculous! Why can't I just walk out of here like a _normal human being?_ I was out there before, what could possibly be so bad about this place that you don't think I should go back out there? _I really need to find my friends!"_

Gajeel was glaring back at her, arms crossed over his chest, and she sighed with exasperation.

"Oh come on Gajeel, are you trying to murder me?" she asked, frustrated.

Gajeel grunted.

"I'm tryin' ta keep ya alive."

The harshness of his words had her meeting his eyes. She was confused and frustrated and more than a little flustered still, but she could see something dark in the way he looked at her, something that had her swallowing thickly. There it was, that same sincerity that had been there in the past, right before Gajeel had done something to help her.

She sighed.

"You promise you'll get me to a phone? So I can call Lucy?"

Gajeel nodded, eyes firm.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she grumbled, walking forward towards him and his dumb duffle bag.

"Gihi!" Gajeel laughed, trying to quench the anxiety and fear that were still there at the back of his mind.

"Don't start laughing about this, jackass. If I don't fit then you'll have to let me leave here like a normal fucking person. And don't you dare-," she pointed a finger in his annoying face, glaring up at him sharply, "-don't you dare call me a 'Shrimp' if I do."

Gajeel grinned back widely, moving all his shit from the duffel bag into one of the empty lockers nearby.

"Whatever ya say, Shorty."

* * *

Totomaru let out a deep sigh, leaning against the wall in the shadows of the hallway that led to the back.

It had been close there for a minute, when that newbie had beat Gajeel in the second round, but it was a relief for them all that he'd gotten his shit together and won.

José would've been _pissed_ otherwise, and seeing how Totomaru was in charge of running the fight tonight, he would've gotten some of the backlash.

He'd been by the bar, commentating all evening with the mic, watching carefully. Luckily it was over and it had ended the way it was supposed to. It felt like a weight had lifted off of his shoulders.

The sound of voices had him turning his head towards the end of the hallway, where it led into the bar beyond.

"…Juvia?" he said, frowning as the girl came into view, someone close behind. He looked skeptically between the beautiful bartender and the shirtless man behind her. He snorted.

"What the hell are you comin' back here for? Juvia, finish up your shift first, you can fuck later."

Both Juvia and the man with her blushed deeply, looking anywhere other than at him, and he laughed again.

"But seriously," he said, meeting Juvia's eyes with a serious expression. _"Get back to work."_

Juvia hesitated, but nodded and turned around to go back to the bar. She wasn't in the position to argue with Totomaru right now. He was her senior, he could make her life hard if he wanted to.

Gray glanced back and forth between the mysterious man leaning against the wall, his hair half black and half white, and the girl retreating back to the bar. He quickly spun on his heel, choosing to follow Juvia rather than loiter in the hallway with that glaring man.

Totomaru watched them leave. Silly kids.

Pushing up from the wall he strode deeper down the hallway, headed towards the office in the back.

He gave a start when he noticed Gajeel walking swiftly down the hallway himself.

"Hey, Gajeel!" Totomaru called out, causing the man to freeze and look back at him.

"Nice match!" he said, approaching the man. Gajeel turned, acting cagey, and Totomaru narrowed his eyes as he looked him over. Maybe he was just tired? It did look like he'd taken some nasty blows to the chest.

Gajeel's heart was pounding in his chest.

 _Shit_. Totomaru. The last person he wanted to be running into right now. He gripped Levy tightly, curled up in his bag and thrown over his shoulder. He could feel her body heat.

He needed to calm down, play this cool. He couldn't afford to make Totomaru suspicious.

"Yeah," he grunted out. "José should be pleased."

Totomaru nodded, but was now eyeing Gajeel's bag. Why did it look so… heavy?

"What's in your bag?" he found himself asking, and Gajeel glared back, shifting the bag's weight on his shoulder.

"Boxin' supplies," he said coolly.

"… huh," Totomaru said, eyeing it once more, but then he shrugged.

"Well I'll see you at the debriefing in the morning," he said, and he walked forward once again, patting Gajeel roughly on the shoulder as he passed.

Gajeel just grunted, watching him with narrowed eyes as the man lifted one arm in a parting gesture, turning a corner and heading towards the back office.

Gajeel let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and repositioned Levy once more before striding towards the back door, pushing out into the night.

The breeze felt cool after the suffocating heat inside The Dragon's Den.

Gajeel glanced around, relieved that no one was out here. He strode towards the back of the building, turning around it sharply and walking a good distance, eyeing the cars around him. There was no way he'd be able to get to his car right now, not with Levy. He figured he'd simply borrow someone else's.

He spotted an older model, something that would be easy to break into. He set the duffel down gingerly, quickly jimmying the car door open. He pulled the sun visor down and grinned as a pair of keys fell onto the seat.

Fucking idiots, hiding their keys in the first spot anyone would check.

He used the keys to unlock the car, popping open the trunk and hefting the duffle bag up and into it.

He undid the zipper and Levy burst out, heaving and clawing for air.

"Oh my god!" she cried, gasping, her face flushed and hair awry.

"Oh my god, I was _dying!_ That was _horrible!_ Don't ever make me do that again! It was so cramped and claustrophobic and I thought I was going to break the bag and you _did_ carry me like a sack of potatoes you fucking _jerk_ and-!"

She was cut off as Gajeel leaned in, glaring at her sharply.

"Sorry, Lev, but I need ya ta ride in the trunk."

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDIN-," Levy was cut off once more as Gajeel gently pushed her down, closing the trunk firmly over her. She laid there in the darkness, stunned.

That asshole! Was he insane?!

A crawling fear started to take root in her gut.

Gajeel had always helped her. Every time these past three years when she'd run into him, he'd always only helped. When he'd asked her, the night they first met, if she was scared of him, she hadn't been lying when she'd said that she wasn't.

She admitted that she didn't know him too well, and his attitude and the nicknames were constantly pissing her off, but over and over again he'd simply helped her and left, never doing anything to hurt her or take advantage of her. Well, maybe the ice cream incident last year had been a little too much…

But he'd let go, after driving her home. He'd just been a teasing jerk.

But now… Levy found herself panting. Was it just her, or was there no room to breathe in this trunk? She felt the engine turn over as Gajeel started the car, and she felt the movements of it backing up.

Her eyes were wide, staring into the darkness of the trunk as the car took off, speeding down the road with her in the back.

Was he really… Was this time… Was Gajeel really kidnapping her?

* * *

"Boss, we've got movement."

" _What is it?"_

The man leaned forward over the edge of the roof he was laying on, walkie-talkie clutched in one hand, binoculars in the other as he started intently at the door that had just swung open.

A tall man with thick, long black hair had just strode out, carrying a supremely suspicious black duffle bag on his shoulder. The bag looked like it was heavy and bulky, jutting out in weird places. He frowned.

"A man," he replied. "Tall, dark hair. He's got a duffel bag."

There was silence on the other end.

"He's walking down the line of cars parked in the back… hold on, now he's getting into one."

" _What's in the bag?"_

The man squinted through his binoculars, trying to make it out in the dark.

"Can't tell. Wait, he's-," he cut off with a sharp breath.

" _He's what?_ _ **What's in the bag?"**_

"It looks like a body, he's putting it in the trunk. Wait, it _is_ a body! He just opened it!" the man hissed into his walkie, frantically trying to see better.

There was a long pause.

" _Is it her?"_

"I don't know, I can't tell. Now he's slamming the trunk! Boss, what if that's her?! What if she's being killed?!"

"… _Alright, follow them, keep me updated. But don't engage."_

The man gulped, nodding as he scooted away from the edge of the roof to climb back down towards his car below.

"Alright, Boss. Over and out."

* * *

Gajeel had been driving for only a minute when he'd noticed.

He peered into the rearview mirror of the stolen car, frowning at the headlights behind him.

New anxiety was building in his chest and he growled deeply, thinking of Levy in the trunk.

He was trying to get her out of danger, hiding her from Totomaru, hiding her in the trunk. He didn't want anyone else tonight seeing her with him, and he knew as long as they were anywhere near The Dragon's Den it wasn't safe.

But now he shook his head, pissed off that nothing could ever be easy.

They were being followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay sooooo I know I've been pretty cruel to Levy this chapter. Forcing her to get into a duffel bag (even if it was very, very large!) and then forcing her to be in the trunk. But certain plot points are dependent on this craziness! And I thought it'd be hilarious if the man on the roof thought that Levy was a dead body, being thrown into the trunk of the car.
> 
> So, Gajeel won the fight! Natsu and Lucy are headed to the hospital! Gray has run into Juvia! And Gajeel is freaking out about getting Levy to safety! But now they're being followed?!
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> Here's a fun remix to listen to: The Thriller (Steve Aoki Midnight Hour Remix) by Steve Aoki
> 
> But Michael Jackson's Thriller is super fun as it is.
> 
> "Darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood, to terrorize y'awl's neighborhood"~
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> I hope you all had a wonderfully spooky and magical Halloween! Unfortunately for Gajeel and Levy, Natsu and Lucy, Gray and Juvia, and even Cana, Lisanna, Jet, and Droy... their night is still far from over. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful night! Cheers!~


	8. 1 AM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mental health content warning: depictions of a panic attack.

**_Sunday, November 1st, 2020_ **

**_-Magnolia City-_ **

Lucy couldn't stop bouncing her knee.

She sat restlessly in the well-worn waiting room chair, leaning her elbow on the armrest and methodically chewing her nail. She was staring at a fake plastic plant next to the row of chairs in front of her, but she wasn't really seeing it.

Instead, Lucy couldn't stop replaying the fight in her mind's eye. She kept seeing Natsu, over and over, screaming as his arm was brutally pulled backwards, the dark Kurogane forcing it from its socket as he kicked into Natsu's back. The look on his face… it made her shudder.

A tear rolled down her cheek and she sniffled, trying not to cry again.

The ER nurse hadn't been nearly as concerned as Lucy thought she should've been. They'd taken Natsu into the back and gently, but firmly, guided Lucy to this waiting room when she had stubbornly tried to tag along. Since then there she'd sat, unable to stay still, chewing her fingernails into nubs and trying to breath as pools of anxiety swirled in her stomach.

No one had come out yet to tell her how Natsu was doing, and she hadn't heard a thing from Gray or Levy. She was forced to just sit here. And wait.

She wanted to scream.

Another tear was threatening its way out of Lucy's eye when suddenly a nurse in scrubs walked into the room, looking around between Lucy and the one or two other people silently sitting there, also white-faced, staring into space.

They all looked up at him as soon as he arrived, expectantly. He cleared his throat and glanced down at the clipboard in his hands.

"Lucy? Uh, Lucy… er… Just Lucy?"

Lucy blinked before she shot up out of her chair, running towards the nurse.

"Yes, hi, that's me, how's Natsu? Is he okay?"

The nurse gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Woah, it's alright, take it easy. Would you mind sitting back down for me? We can talk, but first, let's take a deep breath, okay?"

Lucy nodded, knowing that she probably looked crazed right now. She tried to inhale deeply through her nose as he guided her to a chair a little ways away from the others, to give them some privacy, where he sat next to her.

"Okay, first of all, your boyfriend is alright."

Lucy exhaled shakily, on the edge of her seat. A pounding rush of relief washed over her, making her feel a little heady. She blushed at the implication, but didn't correct the nurse, since she'd rather just find out more about Natsu's condition right now than worry about semantics. At least, that was her excuse.

The nurse kept talking.

"He has a number of minor injuries – mostly bruising and scrapes – as well as a black eye on the right side. We've cleaned those up and bandaged the ones that needed it. And then of course, his arm. Luckily, it was just a standard dislocation. We've conducted a closed reduction - meaning we've reset the bone – and his arm should be fine. There were no additional injuries to any of the surrounding bone, muscle, or tissue, so we've got him in a sling that he'll need to wear for a couple of days, but he's good to be discharged tonight."

Lucy's heart was racing, now with relief. She sighed, putting a hand to her chest, trying to nod along and process what the nurse was telling her.

"In fact, he should be coming back out any minute now, he's just finishing up with the other nurses. We've given him a mild sedative for the pain, but it isn't long-lasting. He was pretty adamant that he didn't need it – "

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and Lucy sighed as she imagined Natsu arguing with the nurses, insisting he was fine.

"- so yes, he'll be on his way out shortly and the both of you can leave together. We do recommend he finds someone to help with rehabilitation. His arm would benefit from physical therapy in the coming weeks. I can give you a list of PT practitioners. And also…"

The nurse trailed off, looking to the side.

"Listen, it isn't my job to judge, I'm just here to help. But your boyfriend's injuries are in line with… fighting? Of some kind? What was it, a Halloween prank gone wrong?"

Lucy looked away awkwardly, unable to meet his eyes. He sighed.

"Alright, well, if you're ever looking to press charges… of some kind… I'll provide you with the information you'd need in order to obtain documents from us detailing the extent of your boyfriend's injuries. I'll include it with the PT recommendations, alright?"

The nurse gave her a reassuring smile, and Lucy felt another tear slip out as she smiled back, sniffing.

"Alright, he'll be out in just a moment then. Stay safe, you two."

Lucy rubbed her nose with the back of her hand as the man walked back towards the nurse's station, presumably to gather the paperwork for her.

The relief was overwhelming.

_He's alright, Natsu will be alright…_

Lucy grinned, almost a little giddy. Her grin contrasted to the tears still welling in her eyes, but now they were from relief more than anything.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she absentmindedly pulled it out, still thinking about Natsu. She glanced down, seeing a text from Gray, and instantly her heart constricted again.

_Levy._

She opened the message.

Gray: _No sign of Levy at dragns den, a girl named Juvia's been helpin me look- Shes thinkin Lev might be at a bar, Element 4, guess most people leavin the fight went there for an after party? No other ideas, she said shed take me. Still no word from Lev._

Lucy frowned deeply. Levy was still AWOL? Oh god… had something genuinely horrible happened to her? Her mind was racing with renewed worry when suddenly her phone screen lit up again, this time vibrating with a call.

Lucy jumped, staring down at it. It was a random number, not a known contact.

Lucy normally ignored calls from people she didn't know. She stared at the number, phone still buzzing in her hands. Hesitantly, she accepted it.

"Uhm. He- hello?"

* * *

Levy was panicking and Gajeel was driving like a madman.

 _Seriously, what was this?_ _Grand Theft Auto?!_

Levy cursed violently as a sharp turn sent her careening back across the trunk, hitting the other side roughly. She grasped around, wide-eyed but blind, trying to find something – anything – to hold onto. Another turn had her skidding back again as she flailed.

She could barely keep herself from flying around, much less try to find a way out! And why the fuck was he turning so sharply?!

But more than that, _where the fuck were they going?_

Levy gulped as the gravity of her situation was setting in.

How did Levy know she could trust Gajeel? Sure, he'd helped her a lot in the past, and he had that annoyingly dumb sincerity in his eyes whenever he did. Something in her gut had her wanting to trust him.

But now her brain was spinning in circles, overanalyzing the situation, because what did she _really_ know about him? Little to nothing, as it turned out.

And here she was, in the back of his car, being driven to some unknown destination with no phone and no way to let anyone know where she was. She just had to trust him.

But could she?

She glowered as the car sped around another turn. Well she certainly couldn't trust his driving! Was he even _aware_ of how fast he was going? She wanted to scream. And she wanted to cry. The anxiety building in her was causing a storm of conflicting emotions.

And among them, the sharp pang of panic was the worst. How had she been so naïve as to get herself into this mess?!

The car screeched to a halt, suddenly leaving Levy frozen in place. She laid there, all the muscles in her body on edge, as she heard the driver's side door open, then slam shut. She was straining to listen when all of a sudden the trunk was opening with a loud click, causing her to flinch back and squint at the light now streaming in.

Gajeel froze, seeing Levy curled up in the trunk, looking terrified. He swallowed hard, a deep guilt burning in his gut. He stared at her, meeting her wide eyes, seeing the uncertainty and fear.

"Levy, I-,"

_I work fer an illegal crime organization, and I had to hide ya both in that bag and in this trunk so that my creepy, bloodthirsty boss wouldn't find out about ya and use ya as leverage against me. And then some random unmarked car started followin' us and I had ta lose 'em by drivin' crazy…_

Gajeel gulped. Never in a million years could he tell Levy the truth.

"Levy, I'm sorry," he said instead, lamely. He flicked his eyes away from hers, unable to look at the hurt there.

And Levy did feel hurt. Hurt and scared and anxious and… conflicted. Because she'd been half expecting Gajeel to attack her as soon as he opened the trunk, but now he looked like he was in pain by just looking at her, and he was backing away with his hands up, unable to meet her gaze.

She sat up, panting slightly, and started to look around because – _where were they?_

The car was parked on a dark street, a few dim streetlamps spaced out every so often. It looked a lot like where they'd first met, with a long line of old warehouses stretching out on her left. But a cool breeze had Levy turning and her eyes widened as she gazed out over the large body of water that the street ran along.

That's right, Magnolia City abutted a large lake...

It looked like they were in a relatively old industrial section, with the occasional dock jutting out into the lake for shipping boats to tie onto. The dark water of the expansive lake stretched far into the distance, sparkling lights shining across it, indicating suburbs of the City that were nestled around its edges.

The area they were in seemed to be deserted, but Levy blinked when she also noticed a payphone nearby. It stood solitarily next to one of the docks, a flickering yellow light illuminating the glass. It was much more silent here, compared to the city, with only the lapping of the water nearby making any noise.

So he'd stuck to his promise, getting her to a phone… But they were in a pretty deserted place…

Levy looked at Gajeel warily. He was standing several feet back now, hands still up in surrender, unable to meet her gaze.

Levy frowned. _Well, at least he looks guilty._

She huffed as she pulled herself up out of the trunk, landing on slightly wobbly feet.

Gajeel looked pretty sad actually, almost like a… regretful puppy. Levy almost snorted as soon as she thought it. No way, he was way to intimidating to be a puppy. He was more like a wolf. Or… a dragon?

Levy shook her head at her silly thoughts and instead started to walk to the phone booth, intent on calling Lucy.

"Wait…" Gajeel grunted out, suddenly digging a hand into his jeans, other hand still up. Levy paused, uncertain, but Gajeel simply extended a hand towards her, several quarters in his palm.

"Oh…" Levy said, staring at them. "Right, thanks."

Gajeel nodded.

"Call yer friend, then I'll take ya to wherever yer stayin'."

Levy nodded back. Dammit, there was that fucking look again. The one the made her heart squeeze, the one that made her want to trust him. Her mind was running through lists of reasons why she shouldn't rationally trust Gajeel, but her heart was pounding, like it knew something she didn't.

Why did he make her feel this way?

She took the quarters from him and then made her way into the phone booth, having to force the old door open to get inside. Damn, this thing was practically a relic. Who even used phone booths anymore?

She popped a couple quarters into the slot, punching in Lucy's number which she had memorized years ago. The line rang and Levy tried to slow her breathing, heart still beating erratically.

_Come on, Lucy, pick up, please pick up…_

" _Uhm. He- hello?"_

Leavy breathed out a large sigh of relief because hearing Lucy's voice… suddenly everything was beginning to be alright again. She smiled.

"Lu-chan," Levy said simply. There was a pause on the other end then…

" _LEVY?! Oh my god Levy are you okay?! Where are you?! Gray is trying to find you! What happened? Why did you leave? Why haven't you been answering your phone?!"_

Levy laughed at the rush of questions. Yep, that was Lucy! She felt almost giddy to be hearing the sound of Lucy's voice, something familiar in a night of confusion and chaos. She glanced out the frosted glass at Gajeel, who was now leaning against the car, smoking a cigarette and playing with his lighter.

Damn, she just didn't know what to think. She knew she still shouldn't trust him but she just… did. And he'd gotten her to a phone like he'd promised, even if it was a ridiculous one in the middle of nowhere. She was just so happy to be talking to Lucy again, relief warm in her stomach.

"Lucy, don't worry! I'm fine! I actually dropped my phone and then got lost trying to get it back! But I failed at that part, unfortunately. That's why I haven't been answering your calls. I'm so sorry to have worried you!"

" _Oh gosh, that would explain it! Dammit, we've been so worried Lev. Are you borrowing someone else's phone right now? That'd be why I didn't recognize the number, I almost didn't answer! Jeez, I'm so glad I did."_

Levy hummed.

"Yeah, I'm glad you did too. But no, not someone else's phone… I'm actually… in a phone booth..."

There was a pause, then Lucy startled cackling.

" _Oh my god, What?! Who uses phone booths anymore?! That's crazy!"_

Levy grinned widely as well. Something about the stress of the evening finally starting to wash away, and the mutual relief both friends felt at hearing each other… The whole situation was suddenly ridiculously hilarious and Levy couldn't help but chuckling along with her friend, at the absurdity of it all. What a night!

"I know!" she giggled.

" _Where do you even find phone booths these days?!"_

"I don't know!"

Lucy cackled a moment longer, trying to get her laughter back under control.

" _Oh gosh… okay… okay, so what does that mean? Where are you? Are you still near The Dragon's Den? Gray stayed to find you, I could text him…"_

Levy winced a little, nervous, listening as Lucy talked.

"Uh no, actually, I'm not near The Dragon's Den anymore…"

" _Oh? Then where are you?"_

"I- well I'm actually not _super_ sure."

Levy glanced around.

"I'm by the lake. Magnolia Lake."

A pause.

" _The lake? Levy how the hell did you end up there? Why?"_

Levy cringed. She looked back at Gajeel again. He was staring out over the water. Levy felt a heaviness in her heart. She'd have to tell Lucy… but maybe not everything…

"I uh… I ran into Gajeel."

Once again, there was a long pause. Levy could practically see the shit-eating grin beginning to form on Lucy's face.

" _Oh… my… god… no way. No way! That's wild! Where?! At The Dragon's Den? Ohmigod was he there for the fight, too?!"_

"He uh… yeah… he was there…"

_Fighting. He was there fighting. Gajeel was Kurogane and he's the one that beat up Natsu._

Levy gulped. She couldn't tell Lucy that.

Lucy was giggling now.

" _That's just so crazy! What another wild coincidence! Damn, the fourth year in a row! You're truly haunted, girl! But in a good way! The Blue Moon! It had to have the power of the Blue Moon! I just_ knew _this Moon had to be good for_ something _!"_

"Wait, Lu-chan - you just said Gray stayed behind to look for me? Where are you? Oh god, how is Natsu? Is he okay?"

" _Yeah, he'll be okay. But we're actually at the hospital and I'm-,"_

"THE HOSPITAL?! WHY ARE YOU AT THE HOSPITAL?!"

Lucy giggled again, only because now all she felt was relief in knowing that both Natsu and Levy were alright.

" _Yeah, we had to go to a hospital, but it's okay, really… At least, that's what the nurse just told me. Natsu's shoulder was injured, but they say he'll be alright, he's actually going to be discharged any minute. I'm still waiting for him, but we'll probably just go back to the hotel…"_

Levy nodded, wide-eyed. Once again, she stared at Gajeel. She was super happy now that she hadn't told Lucy about Gajeel's involvement in the fight. Lucy would freak out if she knew. And even though he'd apparently injured Natsu enough that they'd needed to go to the _hospital_ , at least he was okay…

She shook her head. Just another reason she should be wary of the man, so why was her heart insisting that he was still a nice guy?

"Alright, that sounds good," she found herself saying, swallowing thickly. "Gajeel says he'll take me back to the hotel too."

Lucy snickered. _"You sure you want him to?"_

Levy rolled her eyes. " _Yes,_ Lucy, nothing else is gonna happen."

" _I seem to remember a bet we made! Just this morning in fact!"_

Levy blinked. This morning… that already felt like years ago. But she groaned at what Lucy was implying.

"Lucy! This was a freak accident! Never in a million years did either of us think that I would actually run into Gajeel tonight! It's already been a long and crazy night, this is hardly the time to be thinking of silly bets!"

" _You're too chicken to do it!"_ Lucy teased.

"It's ridiculous! This was just a coincidence! Another, crazy coincidence!"

" _I mean… at this point, Levy, is it?"_

Levy's heart was racing. Her mind suddenly flashed back to the way Gajeel had looked, pressed up against her in the locker rooms, his face only inches away from hers…

"Yes!" she spat out, cheeks aflame. "Yes! Just a coincidence! You can't seriously make me follow through with this bet!"

Lucy was laughing on the other end.

_"Alright! Alright, I won't make you do it. But Levy… don't feel like you need to race back to the hotel, if you know what I mean~."_

"LUCY! Gross! Ew! No! Get your mind out of the gutter!"

Lucy continued cackling, to Levy's distress. Lucy was being too cruel! What she was suggesting had Levy's stomach twisting into knots, butterflies beginning to flutter around in there.

Seriously... how could she even consider something so ridiculous, especially when she still felt guilty for not telling Lucy the whole truth...

* * *

Gajeel snorted as he stomped his cigarette out with the toe of his boot. It had helped calm his nerves some, but they were still there, vibrating at the edge of his mind.

He narrowed his eyes in thought. Who the hell had been following them? And why?

He hadn't the faintest clue.

He shook his head, unable to figure it out. Nothing made sense. He was just glad he'd lost them. It had taken a while, and required riskier driving than he would've liked with Levy in the trunk. But it was necessary to lose them. He couldn't keep putting Levy in danger tonight.

He felt guilty for already putting her through what he had. If only she hadn't been there, in the bar. If only Erik hadn't leaned over her like that, and if only Gajeel hadn't let panic and possessiveness dictate his actions. He needed to have assessed the situation more calmly, instead of storming up and scaring Erik away. Now he had to worry about Erik too…

Dammit, why did being around Levy make him act so impulsively?

He watched her in the phone booth, through slitted eyes. She seemed to be having a very animated conversation. The sight made him relax a bit. At least she seemed to be feeling better.

He'd never be able to forgive himself for the way she'd looked at him when he opened the trunk. Like she'd expected him to eat her… He could never do that to her again. It made his heart hurt.

Now she was hanging up the phone and squeezing her way back out of the phone booth.

He kept playing with his lighter, flicking it open and closed, as she strode towards him.

Yes, she seemed much more comfortable now, and his eyes swept over her form as she walked up. Talk about a short skirt and a long jacket. Damn, Shorty looked hot. She had legs for days and that short skirt really showed them off.

He grinned at her arrival, letting his sharp teeth flash in the light, and she grinned back. Yeah, she was doing better now. Thank god for that.

* * *

Lucy sighed, staring down at her phone.

A huge weight had lifted off of her shoulders. Natsu would be okay and Levy was safe. Everyone was alright. What a relief!

And she smirked as she thought about who Levy was currently with. Oh, the gods of fate were cruel! Talk about an insane coincidence, definitely something that only a magical moon could bring about. She certainly loved teasing Levy about it.

She realized she should text Gray and let him know that Levy was alright, that he didn't need to keep looking for her.

She typed out a quick message, sending it.

And then her phone lit again with a new call. She blinked. It was Lisanna.

She sighed guiltily. They hadn't been in touch with any of their other friends for over an hour.

"Hey Lisanna," she said, picking up.

" _Heyyy! Lucyy!"_ Lisanna sang, a rush of background noise coming through to Lucy from Lisanna's end. Lucy thought she could hear laughter, probably from Cana.

" _Where are you guys? We just left the Casino, we're headed to Fairy's Fate! For the Magic Hour! You should meet us there!"_

Lucy smiled, glad that it sounded like her friends were enjoying themselves. That's right, only a couple hours ago she was also excited about the rest of the night, making plans to go to different bars or clubs. Now she glanced around the hospital waiting room, just ready for this night to be over. She couldn't believe it was only a little past one.

"Well, actually… I'm at the hospital right now…"

" _WHAT?!"_ Lisanna yelled, making Lucy chuckle. It was just like how Levy had sounded.

"Yeah, Natsu… well he got into a fight. His shoulder was dislocated."

Lisanna snorted. In the background Cana was asking what had happened and Lucy heard a muffled response as Lisanna relayed the answer.

A cackle rang out, and Lucy thought she heard Cana yell _"Typical Natsu!"_

Lisanna was giggling as well.

" _Well, he's alright though, right? Dislocated shoulder? That isn't too bad, he's had worse."_

Lucy frowned. He had? But Lisanna was still talking.

" _As soon as he's out, come join us! At Fairy's Fate! Free drinks all of Magic Hour!"_

But Lucy was shaking her head.

"Nah, I think we'll just go back to our rooms, it's been a long night and…"

With wide eyes, Lucy realized something. _Shit._ They didn't have any room keys. Levy had taken theirs, and Gray had the one for Natsu's room.

" _What? What is it?"_ Lisanna asked at Lucy's pause.

"Oh, uhm I just… I just realized, we don't have any room keys… Gray has theirs and Levy has ours…"

Lisanna just laughed.

" _Well perfect! All the more reason to come out with us! Come on, Lucy! The night is still young! Where are Gray and Levy? They aren't with you? Tell them to come too!"_

"Uh, Gray is actually headed to some bar called… Element 4? I think?"

Cana whooped in the background and a scuffle of noise came through, before suddenly Cana was the one talking into the phone.

" _Lucy! That's super close to Fairy's Fate! Literally just down the street! We could meet up with him!"_

Lucy thought about it, realizing that if they could meet up with Gray, at least they could get a room key.

" _Where's Levy?"_ Lisanna asked, the phone now back in her hands, Cana shouting something in the background. It sounded like they were in a cab.

"Uh… Levy's with… a guy…" Lucy blushed for her friend. _Don't kill me for telling them, Lev…_

There was a pause before Lisanna was crying out in excitement.

" _Cana! Levy is with a guy!"_

Cana whooped in the background, and Lucy could hear her say, _"Go Levy! Killin' it!"_

Lucy chuckled.

"Wait, where are Jet and Droy?" she asked. "Are they not with you?"

" _Nah,"_ Lisanna said. _"We thought they might be with you, or at least with Levy. But if she's with a guy…"_ She trailed off suggestively.

"Well, we should let them know where we're going…"

" _So you're coming with us?!"_

"Well… okay, what the hell. But mostly just to meet up with Gray, to get a room key. And only if Natsu is feeling alright, he still hasn't come out yet…"

Lisanna and Cana were too busy cheering to hear Lucy now and she grinned, happy to be meeting up with her friends again. But it really did depend on how Natsu was feeling. If he was still in pain, or too tired, they'd just meet up with Gray real quick to grab the room key, so Natsu could go back and sleep.

" _We'll text Jet and Droy!"_ Lisanna was now saying, bubbling with excitement.

" _See you soon, Lucy! Give Natsu a big kiss for us!"_

Lucy blushed and the line disconnected with a fit of giggles. Lucy found herself sitting there, in the silence of the waiting room, blushing.

God dammit, why did everyone have to tease her. She supposed it was karma, for teasing Levy so badly just before.

"Heya Luce."

Her eyes widened and she looked up, warmth coursing through her just from hearing him speak.

"Natsu!"

Lucy rushed over to him, ready to tackle him with a hug, but the sight of his arm in a sling had her hesitating. He reached forward anyways, pulling her into his chest.

Natsu winced slightly as Lucy bumped into his sling, but it wasn't too bad. The pain meds were, begrudgingly, working wonders. He leaned forward, nuzzling into her neck and she sighed happily.

"Oh god, Natsu, I was so worried! Don't ever do that to me again! Never again!"

Natsu winced again, this time from guilt.

Lucy leaned back from him, looking up into his eyes, and she was suddenly crying again.

He reached up to brush the tears from her cheeks.

"Hey, no need to cry, weirdo, I'm alright, see?"

She frowned through the tears. She was happy and relieved, but also hurt, and upset. And kind of angry.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, pouting up at him.

Natsu grinned down at her.

"Come on, Lucy, dontcha know the first rule of _Fight Club_?"

Lucy rolled her eyes, but hugged him more tightly, pressing her face into his chest as he stroked her head.

"You idiot," she grumbled, muffled by his shirt. He chuckled.

* * *

Levy sighed as she squeezed out from the phone booth. The cool night air blowing in from the lake felt good.

Now that she could breathe, and she wasn't freaking out in the back of a high speed vehicle, things were starting to feel (more or less) under control again. She still felt residual guilt from not telling Lucy the whole truth, but that was another worry for another time. When she got back to the hotel, maybe she could spill the tea gently...

She looked out over the lake, and her eyes widened as, for the first time that night, she noticed the moon.

It was glowing brightly over the water, its silvery reflection mirrored below. It was _brilliant_. Perfectly full. Levy wasn't sure she'd ever seen it look so beautiful. She inhaled deeply, loving the smell of the water. Here, in the cool night air, she suddenly felt _alive_. It made her grin.

She strode over to Gajeel, meeting his typical glower with a bright smile. She didn't mind, she could tell he wasn't angry. All she felt was warmth.

"Feelin' better, Shorty?"

"Immensely! I'm so glad I got to call Lucy, and it's so much better not being crammed into a tight space!"

Gajeel flinched and Levy chuckled. She was a kind person. She could forgive him, especially since he'd so graciously offered to give her a ride back to the hotel. But first…

"Let's getcha back then…" he started to say, but was cut off as Levy spun on her heel, walking briskly towards the dock. Gajeel blinked.

"If you don't mind, Gajeel, I want to go see the view!" Levy said over her shoulder, walking excitedly out onto the wooden planks. "It's just so gorgeous! Just for a moment!"

Gajeel hesitated a minute before moving to follow her, glancing around the street as he went. It was still deserted. If it was just for a moment… it'd probably be okay…

And he wanted her to smile like that forever. He grinned a little despite himself as he watched her skipping form, hands deep in his pockets.

Levy stopped at the very end of the dock. It jutted out into the lake, stretching far over the obsidian depths.

The sound of the water lapping against the dock supports was louder here, and the breeze blew a bit more strongly. She shivered, but loved it, breathing in deeply.

And the reflections of the lights from across the lake skidded across the water towards her, shimmering and sparkling with the movement of the waves. The moon's reflection also, created a vibrant white glow. It was mesmerizing.

She sat down, swinging her legs over the edge as she heard Gajeel come up behind her, sitting down just a couple feet away.

The silence was comforting after an hour of craziness. It was peaceful.

And they simply sat, neither saying a word, staring out over the water.

After a moment or two, Gajeel absentmindedly slipped his switchblade from his pocket, fiddling with it. Levy glanced over, the sight making her chuckle.

Gajeel blinked.

"What," he scowled back.

"Nothing!" Levy said, but she was still smiling at him and laughing slightly behind a hand.

Gajeel growled.

"You just… can never keep your hands still, huh?" Levy said, thinking back to how he had played with his lighter while she was talking to Lucy in the phone booth. Gajeel grunted, staring at the lights across the lake.

Levy hummed.

"That's… the same one you had that first night, right? When we first met?"

Gajeel thought back to that night, three years ago. When he'd scared away the men threatening Shorty… Thank god he'd been there in time.

"Does it… mean something to you?" Levy continued. "Since ya know… you still have the same one?"

"Nah, it-," Gajeel glanced over at her, intent on denying any kind of silly sentimental value, but his breath caught as their eyes met.

She was looking up at him through thick eyelashes, her skin glowing in the ethereal light. It reminded him of when he'd seen her dressed as an angel. Her eyes shimmered a bit. He swallowed.

"Uh… my old man… wait, shit," he growled, turning away from her sharply. Why the fuck did he always say too much to her?

Levy blinked.

"Oh."

She looked back over the water too, feeling a little awkward now.

They sat there for a moment more, Gajeel scowling, when suddenly Levy said, "My parents died when I was a kid."

Gajeel froze, looking at her in the peripherals of his vision. She looked thoughtful, though a little melancholy.

"It was a long time ago so… I barely remember them, you know? But it was…" she paused, clearing her throat. "It was a motorcycle accident… that's why…"

She trailed off and Gajeel understood. That was why she'd been so scared to ride his bike. He nodded and she winced.

"Mhm, but like I say, it was a long time ago. My memories of them are… distant. Kind of like a dream… faraway… I guess," Levy frowned, staring at the reflection of the moon.

"I guess that's why I like Halloween so much, you know? And reading too. Because you can pretend, in that moment, to be someone else. To live out someone else's life, to have a different story. Maybe a story where, just for a moment, they're still here… I don't know, it's probably stupid."

She sighed and Gajeel glanced over at her. He realized that, he got it.

Gajeel had always thought of himself as a Devil, someone that didn't belong outside of the underworld that he'd built for himself. But, even if he would deny it to his dying breath, hadn't he always wanted to be someone else? To escape this hell and be normal? And wasn't that why he liked Halloween? Because it was a night when the lines blurred. A night when maybe, just maybe, he could leave this world and walk into another.

He growled at his own thoughts, but Levy was talking again now.

"Sorry," she said, glancing over at him and he noticed her eyes were misty. "I didn't mean to start blabbering away about my dead parents! Gah! What a buzzkill!"

She sniffed, reaching up to wipe at one of her eyes.

"Yer good, Shorty," Gajeel found himself saying, and she looked over at him self-consciously. "It's fine."

She smiled a little. "Thanks, Gajeel."

The companionable silence returned. The breeze skittered across the water, making the reflections jump and shift. The moon was dancing on the waves.

Levy's mind kept jumping to her parents and she sniffed again.

"You know... when they died… it was under pretty mysterious circumstances. The accident actually happened close to Magnolia City, but I'm not sure exactly where. When I was younger, I didn't know how to process it. But then I grew up and things… didn't add up. And there was no one to talk to and nowhere to find answers. Everywhere I turned, things had been swept under the rug, and no one wanted to talk about it. That's actually why…"

"Journalism," Gajeel grunted out.

"Yeah," she said, meeting his eyes again.

"I know it's a cliché, but I want to find out. I want to know what happened. I need to discover the truth, for me but also… for them. I feel like if I don't seek out the truth then… I'm letting them down. And it will be my fault…"

Gajeel snorted loudly, and Levy turned to him in surprise.

"That's ridiculous," Gajeel grunted, and Levy frowned.

"Listen Lev," Gajeel said, staring into her eyes, suddenly serious. "None of that is yer fault. Ya can't control who lives and who dies, Lev, ya just can't. People leave and people die and the world keeps fuckin' spinnin'. So _none of it_ is yer fault. But life's too short ta devote yerself to someone else. Yer still here, ya? Still breathin'? Then live for _you_. Do what pleases _you._ Cause ya can't live for anyone else, Lev. Ya can only live for yerself."

Levy sat there, staring back into his deep crimson eyes, her own wide in surprise, and her stomach beginning to twist at the way he was looking at her, fiercely.

The waves calmed, the breeze slowed, and the moonlight lit them with its unearthly glow- and suddenly, Levy felt like the whole world was holding its breath as they stared into each other's eyes. The stars themselves were watching from their heavenly perch, peering down from above. Involuntarily, her gaze flickered to his lips, leaning in towards her. They were so close… she felt her eyes starting to close…

Levy breathed in sharply as Gajeel jerked away, flipping his switchblade back into his pocket and moving to stand up.

The world sped up again, the sound of the waves crashing over her as she registered her heart pounding in her chest.

She breathed out unsteadily, looking up at him as he stared back at the street.

"Come on, Shorty," he said, looking down at her and holding out a hand. "Let's getcha back."

Levy blinked and reached out, letting him help her up.

"Wow, Gajeel…" she said now, as she fell into step beside him. "That was almost… wise."

Gajeel snorted, glaring straight ahead.

His heart was racing. What the hell was that? Her eyes had been doing that witchy voodoo thing to his mind again, making him want to lean in and kiss her as she stared back at him, her lips tantalizingly close. He shook his head. Ridiculous.

Gajeel wasn't someone who panicked. He wasn't someone who got scared easily. He wasn't someone to give long speeches, full of advice, and he certainly wasn't someone who kissed girls on a whim. Sure, he'd been around the block a few times, but he didn't try to romance women in his spare time.

So why the hell was he acting so fucking weird tonight.

He just needed to get her back, get her safe, and get her the hell away from him and his life, because despite the advice he had literally just given her, Gajeel was the biggest hypocrite of all.

He didn't live his life for himself. He was a tiny little bug under the toe of José's shoe. He didn't have the luxury to do what pleased him. He just did what he had to, to survive. And he had gotten used to that.

_Keep breathing._

It was the second rule he lived by. _Just keep breathing._

As long as you're breathing, you're still alive. And as long as you're alive, you can get through anything.

That's what had gotten him through many rough nights. _Just keep breathing._

He strode down the dock, feeling Levy's presence close behind, and glaring sharply at the car ahead.

* * *

Gray read the message Lucy had just sent him.

Lucy: _Levy just called me, she's okay. She's with a guy ;)~_

Gray frowned. What? Was Lucy high? Or did she mean with a guy, like kidnapped? Like, _Levy is with a guy but she's been kidnapped by him oh no!~_

He shook his head.

No, Lucy would be freaking out if something bad had happened to Levy. So then, she must be okay?

He looked up and was startled to find Juvia staring back at him, her eyes boring into his.

"Is everything alright, Gray-sama?" she asked, and he nodded. Wow, she really was a little intense sometimes...

They had just left The Dragon's Den, per Juvia's suggestion, to go to Element 4.

"Yeah, I guess my friend is okay. Sounds like she got in touch with Lucy. Oh, Lucy is another friend."

Juvia frowned. Why was Gray friends with so many girls? She pouted, realizing something else too.

"So then, Gray doesn't need Juvia's help anymore?"

Gray looked at her, feeling a little bad to have dragged her into this whole mess.

"Uh- yeah, I guess not."

Her face visibly fell.

"But I mean... I could still head over to Element 4 with you, I guess," he said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly and looking away from her. Her attitude completely flipped, her eyes now shining up at his face. It was making him feel kinda weird. But like, bad weird? Good weird? He couldn't tell.

He figured Lucy would just text him again when they were ready to meet up. If Element 4 wasn't too far away, what did it hurt for him to check it out? Plus, what if she needed help getting there? And actually, was it even safe with all those men from the fight going there?

Gray considered himself to be a gentleman. He couldn't just abandon Juvia now, after she'd tried so hard to help.

* * *

Jet was getting really fucking annoyed. He and Droy had scoured every room in this goddamned Casino more times than he could count! They probably knew the floorplan now by heart!

And where the hell was Levy?!

He glared at the beer he was sipping, Droy sitting next to him at the bar.

Droy put a hand on his friend's forearm, sensing that Jet was upset.

He was upset too, to be honest. He was sad that Levy had just vanished into thin air, apparently along with the rest of their friends. But he knew she wasn't someone to _do_ that, so there had to be an explanation.

"Maybe Levy's phone died? Or she got lost, trying to find us?" Droy said hopefully.

Jet gritted his teeth.

"Maybe…"

"Come on Jet, you know Levy wouldn't abandon us. She was so excited about this weekend, maybe she and Lucy got carried away taking selfies or something?"

"I don't know…"

Droy sighed.

Just then, Jet's phone pinged and he whipped it out anxiously, scrambling to unlock it. Was it Levy?! Was she finally returning his calls and texts?

His heart sunk, seeing a text from Cana.

Cana: _Hey! We're all headed 2 the strip! Join us!_

Jet frowned. Where the hell was the strip?

"The strip?" a beautiful voice asked, and he realized he'd said that out loud. He looked up to see Mirajane smiling down at him. Oh right, this was… Lisanna's sister?

He blinked.

"Yeah, do you know it?"

"Yeah," she said, smiling brilliantly. "That's where all the clubs are. My sister and Cana just left to go there…"

Jet didn't wait to hear the rest, he was already scooting off his stool, his beer long forgotten on the counter. Droy rushed to catch up.

"Levy is with them?" he asked, huffing to keep up with Jet's long strides as he headed to the front of the Hotel.

"Yeah, Cana said 'we all,' right? Levy is probably there too," Jet grumbled, scowling at the people in his way. Why had Levy left without them?

His heart hurt, but like Droy, Jet knew that Levy was too nice of a person to have left them behind on purpose. There had to be a reason. He shook his head, unwilling to accept that Levy had a mean bone in her body.

He just wanted to find her again, then their costumes would work together and they could enjoy the rest of the night. And he blushed as he thought about all the different things he'd enjoy doing with her.

* * *

Levy ran to catch up with Gajeel, whose long strides already had him nearing the car.

She was blushing a little, thinking back to what had almost just happened… That hadn't been her imagination, right? Had he almost just kissed her?

"Where're ya stayin, Short-Stuff?" Gajeel asked, turning back to look at her as she ran up to him.

"I-" she said, frowning slightly at the nickname, but that was when the air around them cracked open with a loud bang.

Before Levy could process what was happening, she was on the ground, crushed under Gajeel's weight. He was cursing violently, supporting himself above her with his forearms.

Levy blinked rapidly. It dawned on her, more slowly than it should have, that it was _gunfire_. They were being _shot_ at. Bullets ricocheted into the other side of the car, their loud crescendo causing Levy's mind to go blank.

Gajeel cursed as bullets hit the car. What the _fuck?_ Who the _fuck_ was shooting at them? Was it that asshole who had followed them earlier? Had he found them somehow?!

But he didn't have time to figure out why. His mind was racing and he realized they needed to get the fuck out of there. _Now._

The bullets stopped as soon as they'd started, but Gajeel knew the shooter was still close by, somewhere on the other side of the street. As soon as he or Levy moved to stand up, they'd be riddled with holes like a fucking pincushion.

He tried to lift himself slightly, to peer over the edge of the car, but he couldn't see a damn thing.

 _Fuck_. He looked down at Levy, seeing her frozen beneath him.

He scanned her body quickly, looking for blood, but was relieved when he didn't spot any. He shifted his weight onto one side, rolling off of her, senses on high alert.

No one was shooting at them now, but it could mean the shooter would be approaching the car soon, to see if they'd hit their mark. Or _shooters._ He gulped.

"Hey, Levy," he whispered, close to her ear, brushing the hair from her face with one hand as he tried to get her attention. Her eyes were wide, it was a look he knew well. He needed to get her to come back to him, get her to focus. She was shell-shocked.

"Hey, Lev, come back to me," he said, whispering into her ear as he strained to hear if footsteps were approaching them.

Levy couldn't think. She couldn't breathe. What… what was going on?

She heard Gajeel whispering her name and she looked up at him, confused, when suddenly the crushing weight of reality had her gasping, wide-eyed as she stared back into his concerned eyes.

"Lev, hey. Hey, yer alright, okay?" Gajeel whispered urgently, seeing that she was now starting to panic.

"Lev, hey, listen to me."

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to stare back into his eyes, her own wide with rapidly increasing fear. She could barely breath, she was starting to hyperventilate. Gajeel cursed.

"Levy, yer okay. Listen, I need ya to get into the car, okay? On the count of three. I need ya to climb into the front seat, right by the wheel. Can ya do that fer me? On the count of three, okay? Keep yer head low, I'm right here with ya."

Levy was gasping, her head spinning, Gajeel's eyes boring into her own. She swallowed thickly, trying to nod.

"Okay, Lev? Ya got that? Say it with me Lev, on the count of three."

She stared into his eyes, panting.

"Uhm… c-count… count of three," she gasped out, and Gajeel nodded, grinning at her despite the spikes of anxiety coursing through him.

"Ya, that's right. I'm right here with ya, Lev. Count with me, 'kay?"

Levy nodded and Gajeel lifted up again, trying to spot that damned shooter. His keen eyes swept the opposite side of the street, in the direction he thought the bullets had come from, but the shifting shadows were making it hard to focus, and there were too many places for someone to hide, in amongst the alleyways between the buildings.

He glanced back down at Levy.

"'Kay Lev, here we go... One?"

Levy nodded, forcing herself to speak with him.

"Two," they said in unison.

"Three…" Levy breathed out as she shakily scooted up towards the car, Gajeel's hand on her back, keeping her head low.

The sharp crack of gunfire rang out again and Levy shrieked as she dove forward into the car, Gajeel right behind her, slamming the door behind him. He crouched in the driver's seat, one hand on Levy to keep her low, the other scrambling for the keys as bullets continued to hit the car.

With a curse he got it started and slammed on the accelerator, the car shooting down the street. Levy curled in on herself, holding her arms over her head, Gajeel's warm hand on her side. The quick acceleration had almost sent her careening into the backseat, but his hand had been there, holding her close, and she curled up into his side as he hunched over the wheel, glaring at the rearview mirror where he now saw the bright headlights of another car. It had just pulled out of the shadows, hidden between two buildings. It was in hot pursuit.

He cursed at their rotten luck. Who the hell was this? And _why_?

It was at least two men, one peering out from the passenger side window, attempting to fire the occasional shot at them. They were probably trying to blow out a tire.

Gajeel floored the gas pedal, careening down the dark street, and frantically trying to remember the layout of this part of town.

He knew this street would soon be a dead end, so he'd need to get over, and weave through the warehouses. But those assholes were right on their ass, and he didn't know how he was going to lose them. There was no way they'd be able to escape by car, not like this.

The tires shrieked as Gajeel swung the car wide, turning into one of the streets that ran between the warehouses.

At least this was a relatively abandoned area, so no one else was around.

He scanned the road sharply, looking for a good place to turn again... There!

He slammed on the brakes while jerking the wheel, clutching Levy close as the car skidded into a tight turn, narrowly avoiding hitting one of the warehouses.

He glanced behind and glared as the car in pursuit attempted the turn, but didn't pull up quite sharp enough, skidding along the wall of one of the buildings.

It bought him maybe... five seconds? But he'd take it.

He quickly jerked the car around another corner, then another, trying to gain ground and confuse the driver behind him. They were screwed if he lost control of the tight turns, and ran into a building himself. He gritted his teeth in concentration.

He purposefully drove in a predictable pattern, zig zagging through the buildings. Each tight turn bought him mere seconds, but it would be just enough...

Turning once more, he estimated he now had a ten second lead. Maybe.

He slammed on the brakes, quickly shifting the car into reverse and flooring the gas, zooming backwards. He pulled the wheel sharply one last time, deftly navigating the car into a dark alley.

If the plan worked, he'd thrown them off the trail. For now. Hopefully they kept navigating the pattern he'd been turning in, until they realized they'd lost him. Then they'd backtrack, and that's when they'd find the car. They didn't have much time.

Gajeel looked down at Levy. She was clutching his shirt, shaking. He rubbed her back, opening the driver's side door to step out.

"Hey, Levy, it's okay. I need yer help, ya?"

She looked up at him, and he could tell her eyes were unfocused.

He swore softly as he helped her get out of the car unsteadily.

"Lev, go check that door over there, 'kay? Try ta get it open."

He pointed to a door he had noticed in the side of the building to their left. The warehouses around them towered over their heads, leaning in as if trying to help them hide. The wood looked old, paint chipping.

Levy nodded numbly, moving over to the door as he quickly went to the trunk.

Gajeel grabbed the duffel he'd carried her in, then went back to the driver's side and tried to wipe the steering wheel down with the hem of his shirt.

Well he was fucked on the DNA front, there was no way he could cover his tracks there. But the least he could do was try to smear his fingerprints. He swore, hoping that whoever found the car didn't try to sweep it.

Giving the car one last look, he turned to where Levy was struggling to push against the door.

He walked up briskly, pulling her back and kicking the door in, sending it crashing, ajar on its hinges. Oops.

Without a second thought Gajeel grabbed Levy's hand and pushed into the darkness of the warehouse.

But the space he had thought would be wide and open was in fact confined, his path narrowed into a winding corridor, fenced in with flimsy walls covered in black fabric. He frowned. He could sense the open air above them, these walls weren't that high. But they were constructed so as to create a maze, with many odd turns and dead ends. They needed to get out of this building as soon as possible, and as far away from the car as they could. He knew those men were still right behind them, they might've even found the car already.

He could feel Levy stumbling behind him, trying to keep up.

Gajeel had been involved in shootings before. Hell, often he'd been the one doing the shooting. He knew how to keep his cool. But Levy wasn't doing so hot. He was proud of her, for how she'd handled it so far, but she was probably nearing her limit. Anyone would be freaking out by now.

He pulled up sharply, underneath an oddly placed black light, Levy nearly running into his back.

He could hear her gasping, and he spun around, leaning down towards her.

Levy was panting, eyes wide, frantically looking around, unable to focus, hyperventilating.

He reached out, holding her face in his hands, her cheeks in his palms, forcing her to look into his eyes again.

"Levy," he said, firmly. "Hey, breathe with me, 'kay?"

She stared back, swallowing thickly, nodding. Her mind was racing, trying to think rationally, but the panic was overriding all thoughts.

"Hey, yer okay. I'm here, 'kay? Breathe with me, Lev. In... Out... In... And out... There we go, that's it. Just keep breathin'. Yer okay."

Levy nodded along, trying to focus on his voice, and his eyes, which were shining a strange color in the light of the black light.

She felt her thoughts beginning to come back to her, the panic attack slowly slipping away. She was breathing again, staring into his eyes, his thumbs softly stroking her cheeks.

"There we go... Yer okay... Ya did great, Lev," his eyes were dark and she nodded. "Just keep breathin'."

Her heart was still racing, but she could focus again, able to think more coherently. She was okay. She was okay, and Gajeel was here, and everything would be okay. Except... what the _FUCK?!_ What had just happened? They were being _shot_ at?! And they'd been _chased_?! And now they were in a dark warehouse?! Were those people still after them?!

She looked around again nervously, but this time more in control.

"I-" she panted out softly. "I- holy shit. Just, wha- what just happened?"

She turned to him, his eyes hard.

"Gajeel, who were those people? Why were they... shooting at us? And why were they chasing us?!"

Gajeel glanced around again, at the fabric walls around them.

"I dunno, Lev."

She frowned. He was still cupping her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs, but now that she was calmer he'd shifted his eyes back to their surroundings. Something was just... off. About this place. What was it?

"But we need ta keep movin', 'kay Lev? Do ya trust me?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

Her breath caught in her throat because did she _trust_ him? After he'd just saved her _life?_ _Again_? How had she ever not?

She nodded, unable to speak, her throat thick.

"Come with me," he grunted, grabbing her hand again and she followed, more steadily this time.

 _Holy hell_ , Levy thought, staring around them with wide eyes as they passed under more black lights. _This night really is cursed._

And then a bloodcurdling scream rang out dead ahead of them, reverberating through the massive warehouse. They froze in their tracks, but Gajeel frowned.

It had been... shrill... and feminine... It didn't fit. And now... was that laughter? And shouts?

Gajeel could sense people up ahead now and he glanced around, suddenly noticing the fake spiderwebbing, and a plastic rat...

It all clicked into place.

They were in a fucking Haunted House.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe I know, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make this a cliffhanger as well, but it just happened! I can assure you that Levy and Gajeel will be alright. I will not write major character death into this story.
> 
> Remember in Chapter 2, when Gajeel was thinking about the list of three rules that he lived by?
> 
> 1\. Never Show Weakness
> 
> 2\. Keep Breathing
> 
> 3\. ? It will come up soon!
> 
> Also, Gajevy is definitely my OTP, but I love NaLu too! For all you NaLu fans, don't worry, next chapter will have tons of NaLu fluff!
> 
> I will be sure to resolve the Haunted House bit with Gajeel and Levy, but I also plan on making the majority of the chapter about Natsu and Lucy and all of that cuteness!~
> 
> And I kinda feel bad for Jet? :/
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> I listened to "Home" by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros a lot when I was studying abroad for a while. Not so much because I was homesick, but more because it made me think of travelling, and how home can be wherever you want it to be.
> 
> The main reason I thought about this song during this chapter, was because of the line "Moats and boats and waterfalls, Alleyways and pay phone calls, I've been everywhere with you"~
> 
> Pretty cute.
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Cheers!~


	9. The Magic Hour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is ~hefty~
> 
> But I liked the way it started and the way it ended, and I didn't want to break it into two parts.
> 
> So, I hope you enjoy this 'Double Feature'! Get ready to do a little time travelling~
> 
> Thanks for reading!

**~The Magic Hour~**

In the early morning hours of November 1st, the year of 2020, when the clock strikes 2:00 and is pushed back again to 1:00…

A whole extra hour granted on the night of Halloween.

But actually, before we do that, let's go back even further, to a similar night three years ago. When more things happened than you, my dear Readers, realized.

And at the time, Lucy didn't even understand it all herself…

* * *

_**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017** _

_**-Hargeon Town-** _

_**~Three Years Ago~** _

Lucy shivered as she followed Cana and Lisanna down Hawthorne Street.

The night felt alive, with costumed college students and trick-or-treaters traipsing down the sidewalks, excited shouts and laughter ringing in the air. She rubbed her arms, trying to quell the gathering goosebumps, and wishing now that she'd brought a jacket to protect against the biting Autumn breeze.

The warmth from the shots they'd just taken was fading, but luckily the walk was short, and she could already see the large yellow house up ahead. She smiled, excited.

This was her first college party. Well, actually… her first party _ever?_

Parties for Lucy had always been lackluster affairs. They were reserved, with polite conversation. They had tea and delicate finger foods, but also restrictive dresses that wouldn't let you breathe much less eat a dainty cucumber sandwich. She shuddered, remembering sipping sweet tea, as she cordially listened to bored businessmen and vapid daughters whine about stock prices or next season's fashion. Or sometimes both at the same time.

Thankfully, she didn't think anyone tonight would give a flying fuck about her family's company shares, or even blink at the tank top she wore, which had cut-outs over the boobs to show the color of her t-shirt underneath. No one would care that she'd cut it up with scissors, the holes jagged, or that it was possibly a little suggestive. She chuckled, wondering what her father would say if he could see her right now.

But he wasn't there. And while she wasn't one hundred percent sure that she'd truly escaped his grasp (after all, the power money granted was far reaching), she figured she was well enough away such that she could properly enjoy her new life. And boy, did she intend to enjoy it.

The three girls strode up the pathway to the front door, Cana and Lisanna walking in as if they owned the place, and Lucy couldn't help but feel awestruck as they entered. The place was _massive_ , but also _ridiculously packed._

Music was blasting, people were dancing, and the party was in full swing. She grinned, sweeping her eyes around the crowd for pink hair. She blinked when she realized what she was doing, but honestly his SmackChat _had_ been concerning, right? All the more reason to look for him.

She followed her friends deeper into the house, snaking behind them as they led the way. They soon popped into a large kitchen, Lucy grinning as she took note of all the fantastic and creative costumes in the milling crowd.

 _Levy would love this_ , she thought. _Hopefully she'll catch up soon…_

A loud shout from across the room made her spin around, and she grinned breathlessly as she met Natsu's eyes above the heads of the people between them. He was smiling, jumping up and down on a table and waving his arms to draw her attention.

She watched as he jumped from the table and began to push through the dancing guests, finally emerging before her and grabbing her shoulders excitedly.

"LUCY!" Natsu shouted. "FINALLY! Took you forever! Okay, first I gotta show you this crazy bug Gray and I found in our roommate's room, it looks _just_ like a Jack-o'-Lantern which is kinda wild, right? And then my other roommate has this super interesting stick insect, I was thinking we could…"

Lucy giggled, enjoying his energy, but then Cana cut between them, breaking him off.

"Yeah, yeah, show her your weird bugs later. First, SHOTS!" she cried, gleefully thrusting shot glasses into their hands, overflowing with a light pink liquid.

Natsu took the interruption in stride, throwing his head back to down the shot with Cana, and Lucy quickly followed suite, grimacing at the burn in her throat. But the renewed warmth spreading in her stomach was nice after the cold walk, and being around Natsu always made her feel better. She would be more than happy to look at all the bugs in the world, if it meant she could do it with him. They could be Entomologists in Crime, and she really didn't give a damn if a little bit of dirt ruined her immaculate manicure.

Natsu slammed his glass on the counter then grabbed Lucy's wrist before she had a chance to set hers down. She clutched onto it as he pulled her through the crowd, presumably to check out the crazy cool Jack O'Lantern bug, and she grinned with exhilaration.

The next several hours were spent looking at bugs, hunting down new bugs, catching more bugs, and putting bugs in obstacle courses. At some point Levy showed up, finally, and then a house-wide scavenger hunt was spontaneously started. The night was a wild ride, with one adventure after the next, and endless shots.

And now she smiled as she clutched a Mason jar to her chest, swaying slightly in the grass of the backyard, as she watched two identical Natsus chase after fireflies.

Wait, _two_ Natsus? She blinked, trying to clear her vision, but it was still blurry. How many shots had she had? She tried to count, using her fingers to tick them off.

Let's see, two at the house, and then one when they arrived… then two more, right? Wait, three more? She'd had six total by the time Levy had come, right? Or had it been seven? And then after that, she took one with Levy, then there had been another after that, so eight? Or wait, nine?

Just thinking about it made her nauseous, and kind of dizzy. The party was still raging in the house behind her, the music louder than ever. The bass reverberated through her brain. She shook her head, trying to clear the drunken fog, but the motion just made her dizzier and now she kinda wanted to sit down.

Natsu ran up, smiling brilliantly, his cupped hands glowing. She smiled back, not wanting him to worry, and quickly unscrewed the top of the Mason jar to help him deposit the firefly within. She held the shining jar up between them, consumed with wonder as she watched the flickering bug flutter about within.

Being drunk gave her a one-track mind. She was so distracted now by the beauty of the firefly, it took her a moment to register that Natsu was talking.

" _So, uh… I'm not very good at this…"_

Lucy frowned. Good at what? Catching bugs? He'd been a pro all night, so she highly doubted that. She blinked, her head fuzzy. The music was too loud, she couldn't concentrate. What was he saying? She peered up at his face, which was swimming in front of her.

"… _I figured… a shot…"_

Oh shit, he wanted to take another shot?

"… _maybe… the alcohol… here…"_

And now he was talking about alcohol! The mere thought made her stomach queasy. Wow, yeah, she really needed to sit down. Maybe drink some water…

" _I… Like a lot. Like, uh… like… wanted to make sure you… too?"_

She frowned. What the heck was he trying to say?

She couldn't focus, and he was just ranting about liking alcohol, and he wanted to make sure she liked it too? Well, yeah, she did, but she'd probably had too much to drink 'cause right now two of him were looking back at her. And his words were all mushing together in her mind because all she could really think about was how the light from the firefly between them made his eyes all shiny.

He was staring at her intensely, in a weird non-normal-Natsu way, and it made her shiver.

" _But like, more? … would, uh, would you like that too?"_

So he was asking if she wanted to take another shot with him?

She hesitated, because honestly no, she didn't really want to drink any more. And if she did, she just might throw up.

But she couldn't breathe, caught in the fiery depths of his eyes. He was watching her so intently, ready to hang on to every word of her reply, as if whatever she said in response to this question was the most important thing in the world. And she couldn't say no to a face like that.

"Of course, Natsu. With you, I'd love that," she said simply, smiling up at him.

Nats's face flooded with relief and he grinned widely, his sharp teeth flashing in the light of the firefly. He pulled Lucy into a tight hug and she blushed, laughing at the weird reaction. Since when did another shot mean so much to him?

But if saying yes meant that he'd hold her like this, his arms wrapped snug around her waist, then it had been worth it.

Typical Natsu. What a weirdo.

* * *

_**Sunday, November 1** _ _**st** _ _**, 2020** _

_**-Magnolia City-** _

_**2 AM** _ _**(scratch that).** _ _**1 AM. Again.** _

Another scream rang out as Gajeel ran down the black fabric corridors of the Haunted House, Levy close behind.

He glared as each turn just led to more winding paths and endless dead ends. The flimsy walls were decorated with cheap plastic décor: fake rats and spiders, cut-outs of tombstones and printed portraits of zombies. Foam bones were scattered along the ground, with the occasional life-sized skeleton or wooden coffin leaning in a corner. The flickering black lights were irregularly spaced and they made the white spiderwebbing glow sharply in the darkness.

And all around, the sounds of the Haunted House echoed into the air. There were other people of course, attendees chatting and laughing as they navigated the maze. Gajeel figured they might run into some of them soon. But then there were also the recordings and sound effects that were built in to the Haunted House. Witches cackling, wolves howling, the rattling of chains and the shrieking of rusty door hinges. The cacophony of sounds made Gajeel cringe, harsh on his sensitive hearing.

And to make it all worse, somewhere in the warehouse there must've been a goddamned army of fog machines working their asses off to account for the creeping tendrils of acrid smoke that swirled around their ankles as they ran.

The awful lighting, the infuriating noises, and the disgusting fog, each assaulted Gajeel's senses. He scowled, gritting his teeth. Everything in this Haunted House was all the stuff he fucking hated about Halloween. It was all fake and distracting, making it harder to run from the real monsters on their tail.

Were they going in a straight line, or was the maze spinning them in circles? Were those people screaming because someone was pointing a gun in their face, or were they just surprised by a toilet paper mummy? Was the weird smell he couldn't shake out of his sinuses anything to be worried about, or just from the blasted fog?

Dammit, he hated this place. His anxiety was spiking and his mind was racing.

How many people were in here? It was impossible to gauge the number of people scattered throughout the maze. Vaguely, he worried about getting other people involved. Sure, it was pretty bad that they had led armed gunmen into a populated place. But honestly, he was more worried about the police attention that would come if civilians got hurt. Working for Phantom Lord didn't exactly put Gajeel and the police on good terms.

All the more reason to find the way out, before the gunmen caught up or anyone got shot. That is, if he could _find_ the fucking way out! They turned a corner and he swore as he glanced around the crossroads they'd found. The path split before them into three different directions. Which one would lead them out of here?

Normally Gajeel relied on his sharp senses in situations like this. He had good hearing, keen eyes, and an abnormally strong sense of smell. But the features of the Haunted House were all fucking with him, driving him crazy. Now there was a fucking zombie roaring a couple paths over, and the fog here was thicker, rancid.

Just then, the sharp crack of gunfire rang out, causing Gajeel to spin in the direction it came from. Fuck, was that the men chasing them? Or just another fucking recording?! He strained to listen, but it had stopped.

On an impulse he picked the middle path, pulling Levy along with him.

Her eyes were wide as she let Gajeel lead them through the maze. She wasn't quite so panicked anymore, feeling safer with Gajeel and trusting him to lead them in the right direction. She blinked at the Haunted House, its decorations and jump scares hardly making her flinch. None of it could compare to the real danger nipping at their heels. Could she have ever been scared of these fake things before?

But the gunshot that rang out behind them had her heartrate multiplying, whipping her head around. Had that been real? Or just part of the Haunted House? She shivered, her skin crawling in fear.

The noise hadn't been close by, so if it _was_ the gunmen, they hadn't been shooting at them. But then, who had they been shooting at? Levy swallowed guiltily, praying that no one else had gotten hurt.

She hoped that someone had heard the shots and might call the police.

But it also could've been fake… she couldn't tell.

And she realized with horror that even if it had been real, everyone else there probably thought it was fake too. What a horrible night to be running from real danger, when it could so easily blend into the crowd!

She let Gajeel pick the way, following him down another long dark path as she held onto his hand tightly. Its warmth was reassuring, helping her stay focused and in control, rather than disintegrating again into a full blown panic attack. Gajeel seemed to be shockingly calm in the face of their situation and she was thankful that out of everyone she knew, she was with him.

In the midst of a life-or-death situation, Levy realized that she trusted him completely. As long as he was there, she felt safe.

He slowed down now and she peered around him to spot a door blocking their path. It was the first door they'd come across. Her heart raced, wondering if it would lead them outside. Gajeel hesitated for a moment, eyeing it distrustfully, but then walked forward anyways and pushed it open.

Levy followed hesitantly as they entered a dark room, pitch-black. The door closed behind them. It was quiet. Levy could hear her own pulse in her ears.

She moved closer to Gajeel, sensing his body heat in the darkness…

* * *

The cab was silent as Jet and Droy sat in the back. Jet was glaring out a window, still pissed off that they hadn't heard from Levy, and Droy was glancing at the back of his head anxiously.

"So!" the cabbie sang, oblivious to the mood in the backseat. "Where you boys headed on a fine night like tonight?"

"Uh, the Strip," Droy said, glancing at the man in the rearview mirror. He smiled and Droy smiled back.

"Now that's the place to go! Lots of great parties there!" The cabbie continued, looking back to the road. "There's lotsa great bars and clubs, plenty of places to choose from. A place for everyone! You boys are in for a great night!"

Droy nodded, looking back to Jet as the cabbie continued talking conversationally.

"I drove some girls earlier that wanted to go to the Dragon's Den! Can you believe that? Now that's not a place to go tonight, or any night for that matter! Wouldn't want to drop ya off there!"

Droy nodded politely, not really paying much attention to what the driver was saying, his mind on Jet and Levy and just finding their friends again.

"I like your couples costume!" the cabbie continued, looking back at them in the rearview mirror again.

Droy nodded, then paused. Wait, couples costume? He looked at Jet and then himself, realizing that… they were wearing matching costumes, both with white wigs and sports style jackets with yellow sleeves. They were both dressed as Soul, but that meant they were matching…

He blushed slightly at the implication.

"Uh, wait a minute, sir, I think you might have the wrong idea…" he started, but the cabbie was still talking.

"Oh I'm not one to judge, young man!" he sang, smiling back at Droy. "Love comes in all shapes and sizes!"

Jet turned from the window, noticing the conversation and glaring at the cabbie.

"Yo, wait one sec man, this isn't a fucking couples costume. At least, not with him…"

"Jet…" Droy said nervously, holding his hands up to try to calm down his friend.

"It isn't?" the cabbie asked. "But it's such a good one! You two are matching quite well!"

Jet growled and glanced at Droy, then reached out to yank his wig off, pulling his own off also, so that their different hair colors could be seen.

"Woah there, young man, wait a sec!" the cabbie cried, watching in the mirror. "Don't you go leavin' your hair in here tonight! Already had one crazy lady leave hers, don't want to deal with yours too!"

Jet scoffed, throwing the wigs on the seat between them.

"Just get us to the Strip, man," he said, scowling and the cabbie shook his head.

"Yeah, yeah, hold your horses young man, we're almost there. Which club did ya boys want to get dropped off in front of?"

Droy glanced at Jet, and Jet shrugged.

"I dunno," he said, "Cana didn't say."

"Maybe try calling her?" Droy suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

"If I may, 'gents, might I suggest the Prancing Blue Pegasus? A lovely bar for…" he looked back and met Jet's glare, Droy glancing between them with worry. "For young men such as yourself!" he finished, smiling kindly.

"It's right here, at the end of the strip!" he said, pulling the cab up in front of a hot pink club, blue lights and accents lighting up the edges.

Jet and Droy got out of the cab hesitantly, the cabbie watching them with a friendly smile.

"Have a lovely night, gentleman!" he sang out once more, before he glanced at the back seat.

"Oy! Wait! Ya forgot your hair!"

* * *

At the other end of the Strip, another cab screeched to a halt along the busy sidewalk and Lucy confidently swung the door open to step out. She glanced around at the hustle and bustle that swarmed the street around them.

It was a broad avenue, stretching out for quite a ways in both directions. Large, flashy buildings lined the street, each one clearly a bar or club, packed with people and blasting loud music. Long lines waited to get inside each one, many of the people already drunk and dancing in the streets, which were brightly lit by strings of lights strung through the trees.

This was certainly the place to go for vibrant nightlife. And the _costumes_. Lucy grinned as she watched the creative and clever costumes swish past.

 _Levy would love this,_ she thought. _Maybe she and Gajeel can meet up with us here too…_

She glanced back in the cab and watched as Natsu shuffled his way out. She held a hand out to help him stand, and he accepted with a wide grin.

"How's your shoulder?" she asked, looking it over with concern. "Is it hurting still? Are you sure you're okay to be here? Maybe we should've just gone straight back to the hotel…"

"Nah, Luce! Relax! I'm fine! Tis but a scratch!" Natsu laughed at the joke, and Lucy rolled her eyes but she couldn't help chuckling herself.

"You sure?"

" _Yes,"_ Natsu said, meeting her eyes reassuringly. "Don't worry, Worry Wart. I'm fine. All fired up."

He gave her a grin, canines gleaming, and she peered back skeptically. But now he was striding off towards one of the clubs and she had to run to catch up.

It was one of the largest ones on the street. Massive, white, and flashing with multi-colored lights and shimmering signage. Spotlights were up on the roof, waving into the dark night sky.

' _Fairy's Fate'_

The giant sign had a logo above it, equally large and bright red. Lucy glanced at it, wondering what it was supposed to be. A… bird on a sled? She laughed. Probably not.

Natsu was still striding forward confidently, heading straight towards the tall gilded front doors, which were guarded by arguably the largest person Lucy had ever seen in her life. Seriously, he was gigantic. Wait, he had to be a statue. There was no feasible way anyone could actually be that big…

She glanced nervously at the line Natsu was ignoring, wondering if they should be getting in it rather than overconfidently confronting the literal Greek statue guarding the entrance. It was rather long, snaking around the side of the building. Hadn't Cana said there'd be free drinks all of Happy Hour here tonight? That would do it.

"Uh, Natsu?" she asked. "Shouldn't we get in line?"

"Nah, Luce! I got this!" he said, brimming with his normal Natsu confidence.

The Greek statue turned towards them as they neared the doors and Lucy paled as she realized that it _wasn't_ a statue, and really was just an insanely large person. An insanely tall, overly muscled, extremely well-built person. She was about to grab Natsu's good hand and hightail it out of there when the giant himself smiled widely, looking Natsu up and down.

"NATSU! Good to see a manly face!"

Natsu greeted him with a grin, reaching out to clasp the behemoth's hand and leaning in for a half-body bro hug. Lucy winced as the colossus slapped Natsu's back, presumably giving him spinal damage.

"Hey, man! Long time no see!" Natsu replied.

"Yes, too long! I see you're still fighting! Very manly! Did you win?"

Natsu's eyes flashed darkly and the man laughed.

"Losing can build character, especially losing like a man! Just man up next time!"

Lucy was flabbergasted, watching this exchange. How the hell did one _'lose like a man'_? And then to be told to _'man up next time'_? What did that even mean?!

"Who's your pretty friend, Natsu?"

"This is Lucy!" Natsu beamed, looking back at her.

"Ahh! A pleasure, Lucy, I've heard good things!"

Lucy stared back at the grinning giant. He'd… heard about her? Sensing her confusion, the man laughed, a deep rolling chuckle.

"From my sister! Lisanna! She and Cana just came through! The name's Elfman!"

Understanding dawned on Lucy, especially when she noticed the distinctly white hair atop the man's head. It matched Lisanna's hair color, and that of her sister as well. So this was their brother, the one who worked at Fairy's Fate. As a bouncer, apparently.

"Come on in!" Elfman cried, moving aside to reveal a glowing hallway behind him.

It stretched forward into the depths of the building, a soft red carpet running down its length. The walls were brilliant white, with gold detailing, and the lights evenly spaced made the air shimmer – like it was filled with fairy dust.

Lucy's eyes widened, captivated at the sight. She glanced apologetically at the line, a couple of girls standing at the front glaring back at her, but Natsu was already walking in, slapping Elfman's arm in thanks as he went.

Lucy hesitated. She wasn't sure why, but she was suddenly struck with the feeling that if she entered this club tonight, she'd wouldn't be the same when she left. She shivered at the strange premonition, watching the air inside the hallway swirl and shift. It called to her, enticing her into its warmth.

"Go on," Elfman said, smiling encouragingly as he gestured inside. "It won't hurt you. Go have fun. My sister and Cana are probably at Clotho's Counter – it's a popular place to start."

Lucy nodded, took a breath and… stepped inside.

She barely heard the man continue as she strode down the carpet, following after Natsu.

" _I'll see you around, Lucy! Don't forget, if you're a man, then you are a man!"_

She chuckled at the weird words, wondering what they meant. It didn't really make any sense. She quickly caught up to her friend, smiling up at him as she fell into step at his side, walking together into the heart of Fairy's Fate.

* * *

"Levy, stay close," Gajeel grunted softly in the darkness of the room.

Levy nodded, although he probably couldn't see her.

There were no black lights in this room, no lights at all. The noises of the warehouse were muffled. He peered into the darkness, his senses on high alert. It didn't feel very big, but he couldn't quite tell.

He could hear Levy panting, feel her breathe on his skin. He felt like he could almost hear the racing of her heart…

A blinding flash of light made Gajeel flinch, swearing, as Levy jumped beside him. He whipped his head around, now able to see in the continuous flashing of a strobe light. The room was garishly colored, blocks of bright primary colors painted on the walls and floor. Clown-themed décor was scattered around and generous splashes of fake blood had been thrown around on top of it all.

A recording of clown laughter screeched out, coming from a speaker strategically placed in the center of the room by a life-sized clown statue that grinned at them maliciously in the flashing light.

Gajeel glared at it all, distinctly hating how the flashing of the light alternated the room from well-lit to pitch-black, searing new imprints in his eyes with each flash and giving him a headache.

He noticed another door on the opposite end of the room, directly past the freakish clown statue. That would be their way out. He squeezed Levy's hand, then started towards it, intent on getting them the fuck out of this horrible room.

But as he neared the clown, the door they were headed towards flew open and a large group of high school aged children streamed into the room. They were chattering and laughing excitedly, some of them crying out at the interior decorations. The kid in front stared back at Gajeel with wide eyes, hesitant to walk towards him, but the kids behind pushed him forward and soon Gajeel found that he and Levy were surrounded by teens, all pushing and shoving their way through the room.

The strobe light kept flashing, the clown still laughing, and the kids glanced around nervously between Gajeel and the props with varying degrees of fear. And then suddenly, the light stopped. The laughter faded. It was dark…

" _Let's get out of here!"_

" _This room is too scary!"_

" _I don't like this one!"_

" _Guys! Wait up!"_

Gajeel grit his teeth as the kids surged past him, running towards the way he and Levy had just entered. His vision was shot from that blasted flashing light, so he couldn't see a damn thing, and neither could the kids as they stumbled through the room frantically.

Gajeel held his ground as several kids ran into him, but now the clown was laughing again, the shitty speaker buzzing with feedback as it shrieked, and his head hurt from the noise. The light started up again, flashing furiously as the kids raced by, and then the door slammed shut with a bang as the last kid ran out after her friends.

Gajeel sighed, alone in the room. And then he realized… _shit_ , he was alone in the room?! He spun around, looking for Levy, but she wasn't there. When had he let go of her hand?! He'd been so overwhelmed by the noise and the shitty lighting and the frantic rush of kids as they ran through the room that he hadn't noticed her hand leave his. _Fuck!_

He glared furiously back and forth between the two doors, trying to figure out where she could have gone. Did she go towards the door they'd been headed towards? Or did she get swept up with the kids?!

_Shit!_

His heart was racing in his chest, the fear from earlier planting itself once more in his gut, and he scowled sharply, furious that he'd lost her and thoroughly pissed off with this fucking room. In a fit of rage he stormed over to the speaker and kicked it, yanking the electrical cord from its plug and sending it flying across the space. The laughter was cut off, leaving Gajeel breathing hard in the continuous flashing light.

Fuck. He needed to find Levy.

He glanced once more between the doors, making a calculated decision.

He would find her and he would help them get the fuck out of there. And he would never forgive himself if he didn't.

* * *

Clotho's Counter was made from rich mahogany wood, the main bar of Fairy's Fate. It wrapped around the first floor of the club, raised slightly on a dais so as to be seen above the crowded dancefloor in the middle.

Lucy was expecting it to be crowded, but she hadn't expected it to be so _magical_. The very air shimmered, much like the entrance hall had. The guests who had managed to make it inside for the Magic Hour were rowdier than ever, and the well-lit room was packed with dancing bodies and glittering with color, tasteful club music reverberating through the space. After the initial awe, Lucy grinned widely. She loved it. Natsu laughed at the look on her face.

" _Welcome to Fairy Tail!"_ he shouted in her ear. Lucy paused.

" _I thought that was the hotel?"_

" _It all is!"_

Lucy frowned back before she realized… it must all be the same owner? Her mind's eye went to the gentlemanly Mr. Makarov they'd met yesterday and she blushed slightly at the way he'd kissed the back of her hand.

Natsu grabbed that same hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

" _Cana and Lisanna are probably up there! Clotho's Counter! Traditional first stop!"_

Lucy laughed as Natsu led her into the club. Her mind was spinning, slightly overwhelmed by the party around them, but in the back of her mind she recognized that name… Clotho… Wait, wasn't that one of the Greek Fates?

The Greek Fates: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. The Spinner, the Alloter, and the Inflexible…

" _Lisanna! Cana!"_ Natsu shouted loudly, already spotting their friends at the bar with his keen eyesight.

The two girls were perched on red leather bar stools, laughing about something the bartender had just said, and sipping drinks that glowed a bright blue. At Natsu's call they swiveled around, smiling and waving. Their matching costumes still looked great, complete with the cowboy hats still atop their heads. Lucy thought of black wig she'd accidentally left in the back of that cab, wondering how disheveled she must look by now.

"Wow, Natsu, that's quite the shiner you got," Cana said, eyeing his face as she sipped her drink.

"Yeah, Lucy said you got in a fight?" Lisanna asked, concern on her face as she looked him over. "How'd it go? Did you win at least?"

Natsu scowled deeply and the girls chuckled.

"I need a fucking drink," he growled, and Cana grinned as she waved the bartender over again.

"Another one for my friend!" she said cheerfully. "Actually, make that two!"

"Wait, Natsu, should you be drinking? Didn't they give you pain meds at the hospital?" Lucy asked with concern.

"Nah, it'll be fine," he snorted, grabbing a glowing drink from Cana. "They were fast acting – already worn off!" he said as he proceeded to chug half of it, Lucy watching skeptically but not moving to intervene. She just hoped he was right.

"These drinks are actually very low in alcohol content, too," Lisanna said, smiling reassuringly at Lucy as Cana made a face.

"Guess 'free drinks all of Magic Hour' really meant _these_ ," Lisanna continued as Cana rolled her eyes. "Which I guess makes sense, right? They couldn't give away highly intoxicating drinks or top shelf liquor for a whole hour. People would abuse that for sure. These are called 'Blue Moon Drops' – a take on a Lemon Drop but named in honor of the Blue Moon! – and they're actually really good! Here, Lucy, try one!" Lisanna chirped, handing a glowing glass to the blonde.

Lucy smiled in thanks, tentatively taking a sip of the bright liquid. She did love the Blue Moon reference and she was pleasantly surprised to find that the drink was delicious. It definitely didn't taste very strong, and Lucy liked that. Not everyone seemed to agree.

"Bleck," Cana snorted. "At least it's free. But they're much better with a little kick…" she said, smiling devilishly as she pulled a flask from the pocket of her blue jeans and surreptitiously tipped it into the glass.

"Ooo," Natsu said, sneaking in closer to her and holding his own drink out, other arm still secure in its sling. "Lemme have a little bit a' that…" he said softly, and Cana nodded with a smile as she poured him a generous helping of the mysterious liquor from her flask. Lucy and Lisanna giggled as they watched.

"So Lucy, Gray is at Element 4?" Lisanna asked innocently, turning to her. Lucy nodded, taking another sip of her drink.

"Yeah and _Levy_ is with a _guy?_ " Cana added, wiggling her eyebrows. "How did that all happen?"

Lucy chuckled. "Honestly, I have no idea. After Natsu's… fight… we lost track of Levy. Gray stayed behind to look for her while I took Natsu to the hospital-,"

Cana and Lisanna looked back at Natsu, eyeing his sling and black eye as they sipped their drinks and nodded along.

"–but then Levy called me from a phone booth-,"

"A phone booth?" Cana asked.

"Yeah," Lucy nodded. "A phone booth-,"

"Who uses phone booths anymore?" Lisanna hummed.

"-I know right? Weird. Well anyways, she called me and-,"

"And she wasn't with Gray?"

"-no," Lucy shook her head. "She was with this guy, Gajeel-,"

"Gajeel?" Lisanna frowned.

"Who is _Gajeel?_ " Cana asked.

"-this guy Levy kinda… knows… anyways, she's with Gajeel-,"

"Levy already knows him?" Lisanna asked.

"How does she know him?" Cana asked, sipping her spiked drink.

"-Uhh, she's met him a couple different times in the past. I-,"

"Do _you_ know him?"

"-nah, I've never actually met him-,"

"You haven't?" Lisanna glanced at Cana. "Should we be concerned?"

"How does Levy know him?" Cana turned to Lucy.

"-She uh… in the past she's… they've…" Lucy blushed, looking away.

"Ohh," Cana hummed. "They've totally banged."

Lisanna nodded sagely.

" _What?!_ No!"

"Yeah. Definitely banged," Lisanna said as she met Cana's eyes.

"Wait, no, you guys have the wrong idea-!,"

"Damn, even Levy is getting some tonight!" Cana sighed, pouring more liquor into her drink.

"Who are we going to hook up with, Cana?" Lisanna asked, ignoring Lucy's embarrassed spluttering.

"I dunno, maybe I'll hook up with a bartender or something later," Cana sighed.

"You just want more free booze," Lisanna said with a giggle.

"Caught me," Cana winked, then turned back to Lucy whose face was rather red. "So Levy is hooking up with this guy Gajeel, where's Gray?"

"-uh," Lucy said, pausing, her face still quite flushed. "So Levy called me-,"

"From a phone booth," both girls said.

"-Right, from a phone booth-,"

"Wait, why was she calling from a phone booth?" Cana interrupted as if she'd only just realized how odd that was.

"-Oh, uh, I guess she lost her phone-,"

"Wait, she lost her phone?" Lisanna asked.

"-Yeah, she lost her phone-,"

"Why didn't she call using Gajeel's phone?" Cana asked.

"Oh," Lucy said, eyes wide. "I don't actually know-,"

"Did she give you Gajeel's number?" Cana continued.

"No, uh," Lucy said, shaking her head. "She didn't-,"

"So Levy is with this guy Gajeel, who none of us have met. She lost her phone, and we don't know how to get in touch with either of them?" Lisanna asked.

The three girls glanced around at each other in a moment of silence.

"She's probably fineee," Cana said, shrugging as she sipped her drink. "Levy's a big girl, she can take care of herself. And you said, Lucy, that she has already known this Gajeel for a while, right? If she was worried about anything she would've told you when she called."

Lucy nodded along to Cana's reasoning. A part of her was now a little worried once she realized she had no way to contact Levy, but Cana was right. If something had been seriously wrong, Levy would've told her.

"Right…" Lucy said. "Anyways, she told me Gajeel was taking her back to the hotel-,"

"Ooo!" Lisanna cried, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"-Not like that! At least, I don't think so-," Lucy laughed.

"Well, regardless, I bet they're having a fun night," Cana winked.

"So then what happened with Gray?" Lisanna asked.

"-Yeah so Gray texted me, I guess he met some girl named… what was it, Gruvia? Juvria-?"

" _Gruvia?_ " Lisanna asked, her eyes bugging out. "No way, _Gray_ is with a _girl_?!"

"-Oh, Juvia! It was Juvia-!," Lucy corrected.

"Wow, good for him," Cana said with surprise as she turned to wave the bartender down for another drink.

"-Well I don't know if he meant _that_ -," Lucy frowned, thinking back to his text. "-He just said he was headed to Element 4 with her-,"

"Oh my gosh, Cana! All our friends are living their best lives!" Lisanna cried, turning to Cana in despair.

"-Actually I should text him and let him know we're here, so he can give us his room key-," Lucy continued, mostly to herself.

"Looks like I better get serious about hunting down a bartender tonight," Cana said, eyes hard with conviction. "Uh, not you," she added as the bartender handing Natsu another Blue Moon Drop looked at her with concern.

" _What about me?!"_ Lisanna cried, sipping the last bit of her drink up and waving desperately to get the bartender's attention again. He eyed the group skeptically. "Lucy is _fine,_ she has Natsu! But who am _I_ going to hook up with tonight?!"

Lucy choked on her drink, her eyes wide as she coughed.

"Wait, _what-?_ " she spluttered, ignored as Cana and Lisanna kept talking. She glanced nervously at Natsu but he was chugging his drink without a care in the world.

"It's alright, Lisanna," Cana said as she consoled their friend. "We will find a hottie for you. But first, lets take some _shots_!"

 _That_ got Natsu's attention, and he turned eagerly towards them with a grin.

"I'm down," he said, licking his lips. "It'll help with the pain."

Lucy looked at him again with concern and he glanced back briefly.

"Don't worry, Luce! I'm fine! Just appreciating the anesthetic properties of alcohol!"

"Yeah, he's _fine!_ " Cana cried happily, as she waved the nervous bartender down. He approached the group, his bright red afro and clown nose standing out against the white face paint covering his skin.

"What'll it be, ladies? More alcohol? Blue Moon Drops? Not just looking for _me_ , are you…?" he asked, glancing at Cana.

"Shots! One of Fireball and three – wait, no, make that four – shots of Ciroc!" Cana replied gleefully, oblivious to the clown bartender's worried expression as she leaned over the bar with vigor.

"Getting fancy, eh?" he chuckled, moving to fulfill the request, and Cana smiled back at her friends.

"Don't worry, ladies! – And Natsu! – this round is on me!"

Lucy shook her head but accepted the shot glass Cana handed her as the bartender came back. Cana handed the Fireball to Natsu and kept two of the shots for herself.

"To the Magic Hour!" Cana cried as the four friends brought their glasses together to cheers. "May it be as magical for us as it is for Levy and Gray!"

* * *

Levy's heart pounded in her chest as she ran down a dark corridor of the Haunted House. The flickering black lights and the swirling fog created moving shadows at the corners of her vision. She panted, whipping her head back and forth as she ran, fear clouding her judgement.

She stopped with a gasp as the corridor ended, the path splitting into three different directions before her. She frantically glanced between the paths, unable to figure out which way to go, and she found herself backing up until her back hit one of the corridor walls.

 _Fuck!_ Fuck fuck _fuckfuckfuck!_

She gasped, staring at the ground with wide eyes but also unable to actually see it. Her vision was tunneling, almost red at the edges. Saliva pooled in her mouth as she dry heaved, unable to breathe not only from the run, but also from the swirling panic threatening to overtake her again.

 _Fuck!_ She'd lost Gajeel! She'd lost Gajeel and it was all her fault and she was so stupid, so _fucking_ stupid! It had happened in the clown room, in that horrible, horrible room with the flashing lights and the laughter and the screams and the kids and one of them had run into her, jerking her hand out from Gajeel's. She'd fallen to the ground, scrambling to stand as bodies moved in the darkness and the panic and fear had hit her like a wave, forcing her to just _move._ And she'd ran. She didn't even know which way she'd gone or how she'd gotten here, she'd just kept _running_ , away from those kids and away from the clowns and away from the fucking _gunmen_ who wanted to kill them and… away from Gajeel. And now she'd lost him and it was all her fault and what if she died, or what if _he_ died, and she was gasping because she couldn't _breathe_ , she just needed to _breathe_ but she couldn't and _fuck-!_

_Hey, Levy._

A voice she remembered echoed in her mind.

_Levy, yer okay…_

She was panting still, but it was slowing, and the red at the edges of her vision was starting to ebb. She felt hot so she ripped off her cloak, letting it fall to the ground as she gasped.

_Levy. Hey, breathe with me, 'kay?_

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to breathe in through her nose, holding the breath within her chest.

_Breathe with me, Lev… In and out… Yer okay…_

And she let the breath out, slowly counting down in her mind.

_Yer okay…_

A cold sweat on her skin made it prickle with goosebumps, and she shivered. But with renewed clarity she was looking up, seeing more clearly, breathing more evening. She focused on calming her thoughts, reorganizing them, and reorganizing the fear, into something smaller and more manageable.

Okay. She was okay. She would be alright.

_What was next?_

Levy glanced between the paths again, as well as back the way she had come.

She needed to find Gajeel.

But she didn't even know where she was. The fog creeped at her feet, a wolf recording howling in the distance. She glared as she surveyed her options.

Levy had been through her fair share of trauma. Her childhood hadn't exactly been rainbows and unicorns. But admittedly, she'd never faced anything quite like this. Even three years ago, when Gajeel had saved her among the old warehouses of Hargeon Town, her life hadn't been quite as at risk as it was while someone was trying to _shoot_ her.

She had no idea what had led to this, or who those people were, but she knew in this moment that she would not – _could not_ – let them determine her fate here tonight. She would not let the panic overwhelm her again, or the fear bury her alive.

She glared fiercely as she breathed through her nose, employing the breathing techniques Gajeel had walked her through who knows how many minutes ago. She didn't even know what time it was or how long they'd been in there. The warehouse had become a hellish nightmare, the corridors blending together and the noises echoing eerily around her.

Levy didn't know if she believed in a higher power. She didn't know if she believed in Heaven and Hell, or something else entirely. She couldn't tell you if everything that happened was simply coincidence, a randomly generated series of events happening purely due to the whims of the universe, or if some things were truly meant to be.

Levy was _scared._ But in that moment, when the fear had crystallized within her into something else, and some part of herself was awakening that she'd never known she even had, she realized that… _no_. She _wouldn't_ let the fates fuck with her anymore.

Levy would make her own way. She would fight. She would find Gajeel and they'd make it out of there alive – _together_ – and it didn't matter who else was out there, trying to pull the strings.

Levy was tired of being small and scared and relying on forces outside of her control to spin the thread of her life. She would fight. And she would live…

For herself, in whatever way she wanted to. Just like Gajeel had told her she should.

* * *

"Clotho is one of the three Fates, right?" Lucy asked, sipping at another one of the glowing Blue Moon Drops as she balanced on a bar stool beside Lisanna and Cana, Natsu standing close by.

"Yeah, that's right," Lisanna said, looking over at her. "In Greek and Roman mythology, the three Fates determined the lives of us mortals. Clotho –," she pointed to a portrait on the wall, a woman depicted in classical Greek attire, holding a spindle of thread – "she was the Spinner – she spun the threads of our lives. And her sisters were Lachesis and Atropos. Together, they determined human fate."

Lucy hummed, looking at the woman on the wall, who seemed to gaze out over the heads of the club goers as if in a dream.

"Is that why this bar is called _Fairy's Fate_ then? After the Greek Fates?"

Lisanna nodded. "Yeah, I suppose the Master liked the symbolism of it all. The idea that the threads of our lives are spun from fate, that they intertwine and entangle with others in unexpected ways, and that in that way we're all related."

"We're all _Nakama_ ," Cana said solemnly, raising her glass to toast the Greek goddess on the wall.

"The Master?" Lucy asked with a frown.

"Yeah, Master Makarov."

"Oh," Lucy said, thinking again of the small man in the dashing golden suit, who had greeted them warmly when they'd arrived.

"Mhm, there's an area of the club dedicated to each sister," Lisanna continued. "Clotho's Counter is here on the main floor, Lachesis's Lounge is on the second floor, and then there's Atropos's Attic, at the top. Up there."

Lucy followed Lisanna's finger as she pointed upwards. The ceiling stretched far above, to skylights three stories high, and she noticed now that there were floors above them, looking out over the main room from balconies that ran along its edge. The second floor shined a brilliant white, but it was the third floor that Lisanna was pointing to. A dark purple glow shone from there, up by the roof.

"That's pretty interesting. Kind of a funny theme for a bar, considering the Fates were tricked into getting drunk one time, right?" Lucy asked, and Lisanna nodded.

Cana snorted. "Yeah, a mortal woman got them drunk, in order to save her hubby."

"Mhm, but the Fates wouldn't let her. Only if…" Lisanna continued.

"Only if someone else took his place, right?" Lucy said.

"Yeah, but she couldn't find anyone, so she sacrificed herself instead."

"Kind of grim," Lucy said, looking up at Clotho once more.

Cana shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose. But you win some, you lose some, right? Guess sometimes there's no choice but to sacrifice yourself for someone else."

* * *

Gajeel swore as he stormed down yet another fucking corridor, intent on catching up with those damn kids. He figured Levy had gotten swept up with them when they'd left the room, so she _had_ to still be with them… _right?!_

He turned a corner and saw them ahead, at that same damn intersection where he and Levy had heard another gunshot ring out somewhere in the warehouse. Without a pause he stomped up to the group, scanning the milling kids for Levy's distinctive hair.

One of them noticed him, shrinking back with fear at his approach.

"H-hey! You aren't supposed to come up to us like this!" the kid cried, drawing the other kids' attention to Gajeel as he glared down at them. He honestly couldn't give a fuck, still anxiously trying to spy Levy in the group.

He pushed one of them aside as he looked past and the girl cried out in fear.

"Yo, dude!" one of them yelled angrily. "Volunteers aren't allowed to touch the guests, asshole! Back off or we'll fucking report you-!"

Gajeel's scowl cut the kid off. But he didn't see Levy, so he backed off slightly as the kids moved down one of the pathways, several looking back at him in fear and concern.

_Fuck!_

Where was Levy?!

He looked back in the direction of the room, wondering what he should do. Had she gone out the other door then? Or had she passed the group and instead gone down a different corridor?

Fuck! He wished the fucking fog wasn't so thick here. It was clogging his sinuses, making him want to sneeze. And the noises of the warehouse were giving him a headache.

Suddenly, the sharp crack of gunfire split the air, closer than it had been before, and Gajeel's blood ran cold.

Without thinking he shot down a pathway, straight towards where the sound had come from. He strained to listen for any more noise, or any signs of a scuffle, but the only thing he could hear was his own heart pounding in his chest.

He whipped around a corner and came face to face with… the barrel of a gun.

Pure instinct had Gajeel reaching out, grabbing the muzzle of the gun and jerking it sharply to the side. The man holding it shouted in surprise and pain as Gajeel forced him to let go. Gajeel quickly spun the gun in his hands, bringing it up and pointing without aiming, firing directly into the man's chest.

He fell backwards with a cry, crumpling to the ground. Gajeel stood panting, breathing hard as he stared at the body on the ground. Had he killed him?

The gun had certainly been real, evident by the growing pool of dark liquid by the body on the ground. Apparently this was one of the gunmen that had been on their tail.

Gajeel didn't let the blood faze him, instead checking the magazine of the gun to see how many rounds were left. He then tucked it in the back of his jeans and leaned forward to pat the man down, going for his pockets. He wanted to know who the fuck this guy was and why the fuck he and his partner were trying to shoot him and Levy.

He found the man's wallet and flipped it open, his eyes growing wide. _What the fuck?_

And then, a sharp scream. Gunfire. Shattering glass.

Gajeel inhaled sharply as he whipped back around. None of that had been a recording.

_Levy._

* * *

Element 4 was to Fairy's Fate as ice might be to fire. It was a magical club in its own right, an equally popular and packed destination for the denizens of Magnolia City seeking to celebrate the ghoulish holiday of Halloween. But it was darker than Fairy's Fate. And kind of cold.

Gray liked it.

Juvia had helped them get in through the Employee's entrance, so they'd been able to skip the long line of people waiting outside, and now Gray sat at a bar in the back, looking out over the expansive rooms of the club.

The entire place was industrialist chic, all steel beams and exposed brick. Alcoved lighting allowed for shadows to linger and the spotlights over the dancefloor flashed with blues and purples. It almost looked like they were underwater, the dancers strange ethereal fish.

He turned back to his drink, sipping it slowly as he waited for Juvia to come back. She'd slipped off, saying she needed to take care of something. He figured it was likely work-related. After all, she'd gotten them in through the Employee entrance. So, she worked here, too, in addition to The Dragon's Den?

The sound of her return had Gray turning his head, watching as she sat on a stool next to him, leaning her elbows on the counter and smiling serenely up at the pink-haired woman behind the bar. Her eyes flicked to his for a moment, dark and beautiful in the dim lighting, and he felt a shiver run down his spine as her lips lifted into a smile. Then she turned away, to order a drink.

"Juvia is sorry to have kept you waiting, Gray-sama," Juvia said as the bartender set a silvery drink in front of her, filled with ice. "Juvia had to take care of one or two things when she got here."

Gray nodded, now used to the strange way she talked. It was a bit peculiar, but he found it kind of quaint. And a little charming.

"No problem, I don't mind," he said with a smile.

Juvia smiled back at him, then turned to look out over the dancers he'd just been watching himself.

"What does Gray think of Element 4?"

"Uh, it's nice. I like it," he said truthfully. "I've only ever been to Fairy's Fate, so I didn't know about this club…"

Juvia looked back with an oddly blank expression. _Maybe she wasn't a fan of Fairy's Fate?_ He pivoted.

"So, you work here, too? Do you work at _all_ the bars and clubs in Magnolia?" he asked, grinning at her pleasantly. She smiled again, and laughed.

"No, Juvia only works at two. The Dragon's Den, and here. Well, maybe a couple others on occasion… Juvia works where she is needed." She smiled sweetly, sipping on her drink, and Gray thought that over.

_Where she was needed? Was it normal for bartenders to jump around between bars and clubs, based on demand?_

"What about Gray? Where does Gray work?"

Gray chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, I'm still in college. But it's my last year."

"Oh? Where is Gray studying, then? Magnolia State?"

Gray shook his head again, his throat now dry. He took a sip from his drink.

"No, uh… Hargeon University. In Hargeon Town…"

"Oh," Juvia said, looking back out at the club.

Silence fell and the reality of it hit Gray like a ton of bricks. He lived in Hargeon Town. He'd be going back on Monday, in just a couple days. He glanced over at Juvia from the corner of his eyes, to see how she was reacting to this information, but she seemed as reserved as ever, sitting primly on her barstool and watching the dancers. She didn't seem particularly moved either way.

He shook his head at his own thoughts, why had he been thinking she would? Part of him had thought she might be upset, or at least a little sad, that he would be leaving soon and they'd likely never meet or see each other again. But it made sense that she wasn't because after all, they'd only just met. They were friendly acquaintances, getting a drink after she had offered to help him find his friend. That was all, so he was the weird one for looking too much into it.

He smiled wistfully, her nonchalant reaction grounding him. It was for the best.

She turned to him suddenly, eyes a little bright.

"So Gray-sama is a tourist then? Just visiting for Halloween?" she said, quite chipper, as she started to furiously sip at her drink.

Gray chuckled and watched with amusement as she nearly downed the whole thing. She was so odd, but it was also pretty cute.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," he said, leaning against the bar and smiling back at her in a friendly way. "But I know the city pretty well, I used to come here a lot as a kid."

Juvia was nodding as she turned back to the bartender, motioning for another drink.

"Juvia sees!" she said, sipping the new one with vigor. Gray raised an eyebrow. Was she trying to get drunk?

"Well, Juvia supposes Gray doesn't need any tourist advice, then," she said. "But Juvia might still be able to recommend some stuff if you're looking for things to do. When does Gray-sama leave?"

"Monday," Gray said.

Juvia started to cough, likely from how fast she'd been inhaling her drink.

Gray frowned, reaching over to rub her back as she continued to cough furiously for a moment more, her facing turning red.

"Ahh!" she cried, a hand to her chest as she swallowed. "Juvia is sorry!"

"It's alright," Gray said. "But maybe you should slow down? You're drinking those awfully fast!"

Gray chuckled as Juvia nodded, embarrassed.

Just then his phone vibrated in his pocket, and he took it out to glance at the screen. It was a text from Lucy, saying they were at Fairy's Fate. She was asking if he could meet up with them, to give them a room key. He sighed.

He looked up and found that Juvia was staring at him intently again, then glancing down at his phone in his hands.

"It's Lucy," he said, by way of explanation. "She's at Fairy's Fate, wants me to meet up with them."

Juvia's face was emotionless, simply blinking as she met his eyes.

"So… Gray-sama needs to leave?"

"Yeah," he said, running a hand through his hair as he hopped down from the barstool. "Sorry, Juvia, but I should go. My other friend got pretty beat up, I should make sure he's okay, too."

Juvia was nodding, but Gray felt kind of bad again, to be ditching her so soon.

"Listen, thanks for getting a drink with me, Juvia. It was nice to talk with you a bit more."

Juvia nodded again. "Yes, Juvia enjoyed talking to Gray, too. And Juvia is glad Gray's lost friend is alright."

"Yeah, me too. Well, it was nice meeting you, I guess. Have a good rest of your Halloween…"

Gray met her eyes, a dark blue in the lighting. They looked a little shiny, probably from the flashing lights above the dancefloor. She nodded.

Gray turned, walking a couple steps but then suddenly spun around.

"Look, do you want to come with me? To Fairy's Fate? You could meet my friends, and I hear there's free drinks there for the rest of the hour."

Gray didn't know why he'd asked her to come, it had been a bit impulsive. He found himself hoping that she would, flushing a bit awkwardly at the thought.

But Juvia was looking past him, her face blank as she stared around at the club. Gray waited a couple seconds, waiting for her reply, hoping that she'd smile and agree. She turned back, meeting his eyes with what looked like a hint of regret in her own, and she shook her head.

"Juvia can't go to Fairy's Fate," she said simply.

"Oh…" Gray said, frowning. She couldn't go? Or she just didn't want to? He wasn't entirely sure what she meant and he found the phrasing a bit odd, but he supposed it was just another part of how she talked.

"Well, okay… Well. Okay, what if I give you my number? Just in case you change your mind? You can just text me and I'll let you know where we end up."

Juvia's eyes widened as he smiled at her. Slowly, she began to smile back, her cheeks tinted pink, and she nodded.

"Alright," she said, watching as Gray went to the bar and found a napkin and a pen.

"Here," he said, scratching several digits onto the napkin. He handed it to her.

"Or maybe you'll happen to run into Levy, my lost friend, and you can let me know," he said, chuckling at the thought, which was a nod to how they'd first met while he was looking for Levy.

She nodded, grinning shyly. "Alright."

"Well, alright then. Thanks again, Juvia. Have a good night."

Gray turned and didn't stop this time, his pulse racing for some reason as he pushed his way quickly through the crowd. He could feel his cheeks flushing and he frowned. Maybe it was too hot in here after all.

* * *

Juvia watched as Gray walked away, her heart pounding in her chest as she desperately clutched the napkin in her hands, and a tear slid down her cheek.

Juvia hated to admit it, but she was a crier. She could cry at the drop of a hat. Actually, she had literally cried once when a hat fell to the ground and someone stepped on it, sobbing at the thought of it being crushed so callously underneath someone's thoughtless feet.

Anything could make her well up with tears. There were just so many _sad_ things in the world. And all of it made her want to cry, but she obviously _couldn't_.

She couldn't actually break down in front of customers or break down in front of José. She shuddered at the thought. Thus, since a young age, she'd gotten quite good at schooling her emotions. She had perfected being cool and composed, almost to the point of sometimes appearing cold and emotionless. But it was much better than being a blubbering mess all the time.

She only let herself cry now in front of her friends.

" _Here comes the rain."_

She could almost hear Gajeel tease her, rolling his eyes whenever she began to cry.

Normally, she could keep it under control, like when she had to work or interact with people she didn't know. But when Gray had told her he was from _Hargeon Town_ … that he in fact lived _hundreds of miles away_ …

It had almost been too hard to bear. She'd batted her eyes furiously, to keep the tears from forming, and chugged her drink as she tried to swallow down the sobs, her throat thick.

She couldn't cry in front of him, she wouldn't let herself. But it had been hard.

 _How could fate be so cruel?_ How could she have only just met this amazingly cute and adorable and sexy and funny man, only to have him ripped away from her the very same night?! She'd rather have not met him at all! She clutched her chest as her heart constricted painfully.

Now that he'd left, a stopper had been unplugged and the tears were leaking out uncontrollably, dripping from her chin.

She turned to meet Meredy's eyes, the woman laughing at her pain in a _totally rude_ way!

"Meredy! This isn't funny!" she cried, a sob in her chest.

"You're overacting again, Juvia, aren't you?" Meredy chuckled, familiar with Juvia's dramatic tendencies. The two girls had worked the bars and clubs of the Phantom Lord Guild for many years together.

"Sure, he was pretty hot," Meredy admitted, cleaning a glass thoughtfully. "Pretty great eye candy. But there are lots of fish in the sea, girl! Just go catch another one!"

"It's not that simple!" Juvia wailed and Meredy rolled her eyes at her.

"Well if he was so important to you, you better not let anything happen to that number."

"What do you mean?" Juvia blubbered, and Meredy nodded down to the napkin Juvia still clutched, currently getting crumpled up and tear-stained in her hands. Juvia cried out, setting it delicately on the counter and scrambling to find her phone, to safely transfer the number before the napkin was further ruined and the precious digits incomprehensible.

Meredy laughed as her friend frantically added the man's number to her contacts, and she moved away along the bar to help another customer.

Juvia cursed herself for getting carried away, trying to decipher the napkin. The ink was already bleeding from her tears, making some of the numbers blurry. Damn her crying! She couldn't believe she had let herself get so swept up in her emotions! Was that a ' _5_ ' or a ' _6_ '?! _Crap!_

She decided it was a ' _6_ ' and saved the contact as ' _Gray-sama~_ ' with a bunch of hearts.

Then she freaked out and added another contact, ' _Gray-sama5ever~_ ', with a ' _5_ ' in the number instead of a ' _6_ '.

Worst case she could just text both numbers.

She clutched her phone to her chest now, confident in knowing her tears could no longer ruin his contact info. But maybe she should back up all her phone's data when she got back home tonight, just to be safe…

* * *

"Let's go dance, guys!" Lisanna cried, slurping up the last of another Blue Moon Drop, looking out over the dancefloor excitedly.

Lucy frowned as she sipped her drink, glancing at the time.

"We really shouldn't," she said. "I'm still worried about Natsu's shoulder, we should probably go back to the hotel soon…"

"But Gray isn't here yet with the room key," Cana said with a wink. "Plus Natsu's fineeee, right Natsu?"

Lucy looked up at Natsu skeptically, but he nodded with a grin.

"Fit as a fiddle and all fired up! But I don't wanna dance," he made a face, the girls chuckling. "I'll go upstairs till Gray shows up."

Cana nodded, and Lucy glanced up at the second floor, which could be seen beyond a balcony that overlooked the dancefloor from above. The entire level seemed to glow a brilliant white.

"Sounds good," Lisanna said, hoping down from her stool and grabbing Lucy and Cana as she went. Cana desperately chugged the last of her drink, setting it down on the counter and swiping another as Lisanna dragged them off. Lucy looked back at Natsu one last time, checking for the umpteenth time that he was truly okay, and he grinned back at her with a wink.

She smiled, turning to follow Lisanna, and decided that maybe she really was worrying too much about everything. She laughed, allowing herself to relax as she followed her friends further out onto the dancefloor, falling in synch with the rhythm of the dancers and the music.

The pleasant buzz she'd acquired from the Blue Moon Drops was washing over her, the music beating through her bones. She closed her eyes and the stress and tension that had built up after the fight and the trip to the hospital was finally starting to fade away.

Cana and Lisanna were grinning back at her as she opened her eyes again, Lisanna with her hands above her head and Cana sipping at another one of the blue glowing drinks.

" _Alright, you Frolicking Fairies!_ " A loud voice announced, the music dimming slightly for the voice to be heard. _"We're halfway through this magical hour, and you're half-way through your third_ _Blue Moon Drop_ _, but don't let it get you blue! This extra hour grants us time for reflection. Do fairies have tails? Do they even exist? These eternal mysteries may never be solved, but we_ _do_ _know that the Fairies here tonight are out for a never-ending adventure! Keep it up, Fairy Folk! Get frisky with the Fates, and do something today you would've never_ dreamed _of doing yesterday!"_

Confetti erupted from the ceiling at the last words, the crowd cheering in wonder and glee as it drifted down from high above and fell on them like shiny multi-colored snow. The music resumed, pulsing through the air, as Lucy held her hands up.

She looked towards the ceiling, grinning up at the confetti swirling around them, and she noticed small bright white lights twinkling up among the rafters. They looked like stars, man-made constellations smiling down at the dancing fairies below.

Looking at them reminded Lucy of a different night, exactly a year ago. A night that had been quite different from this one, but that she held close to her heart and hadn't told anyone about, not even Levy. Which made her feel a little bit guilty, but a small (and likely irrational) part of her mind insisted that if she talked about it, it would lose the mysterious ephemeral quality it had acquired in her memory.

* * *

_**Thursday, October 31st, 2019** _

_**-Hargeon Town-** _

_**~One Year Ago~** _

The night was well underway and the scene, at this point, familiar. The large yellow house at the end of Hawthorne Street was hosting yet another notorious Halloween party. And while Lucy enjoyed seeing her friends, she was kinda… over it.

She sighed as she sipped from a red plastic cup, drifting from one room of the house to another. She let her mind wander along with her feet, as she watched the other people around her with a detached air.

Levy had stayed home tonight, citing the excessive homework and assignments she had piling up, in addition to an important test the next day. Lucy understood, she could relate to a heavier course load, having entered into their Junior year of college. Still, she'd made the time to come out tonight, always excited to have a chance to visit with their friends. And she had a suspicion that Levy's concerns weren't only about school, and maybe also about a certain _Devil_ that had haunted her these past several Halloweens. Lucy chuckled at the thought, amused by the mysterious luck her friend seemed to have on the holiday.

So, Lucy had been fine with coming alone, happy to visit with friends, but now as most of the students around her were raging drunk, she found that she was wishing she'd chosen to stay home as well. Maybe she should just leave early…

She blinked in surprise as a pair of hot arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her close to the comfortable warmth of a certain someone. Lucy smiled over shoulder, up at Natsu's grinning face.

"Hey Natsu," she said, grinning back at her best friend. Well, Levy was her Best Friend, but Natsu was her _best friend_ , ya know?

"Hey, Luce! Enjoying the party?"

Lucy hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah! Totally!"

Natsu met her eyes for a moment and she wondered if he could see through her. She didn't want him to be worried about her, so she maybe hadn't been completely honest.

Suddenly his arms left her waist and he'd grabbed onto her hand, pulling her gently towards the front door of the house and out to the front lawn.

"Come on, let's go!" he said cheerfully, and Lucy frowned as she followed.

"Go where?" she asked as he led her away from the house, onto the sidewalk, and into the night.

"I've got an idea or two in mind," Natsu said mysteriously.

Lucy smiled with confusion as she fell into step beside him, her fingers intertwined with his. She glanced up at him again, trying to figure him out.

"…Are we going to the park?" she asked, but he shook his head.

"Nope!"

"Hmm… you sure? The big one by campus?"

"Incorrect!"

She hummed, thinking.

"But we're definitely headed towards campus."

He smiled back, saying nothing.

"That's a yes, then? We're going to campus?"

"No can do, Luce! My lips are sealed, I'm telling you nothing!"

"Maybe just give me a hint?" she asked, but he laughed and shook his head, refusing to say anything else.

She hummed in playful frustration as they made their way towards the campus, soon strolling down one of the wide paths that led to the Main Square. Lucy looked around at the large student buildings and lecture halls, dark and shadowed at this time of night.

She wasn't used to being on campus after dark, so she peered around curiously as they walked. Several other people were out and about, likely cutting through campus to reach the dorms, or going to the 24/7 access library just off the Main Square. She knew Levy had spent many late nights studying there, but she couldn't imagine what kind of person would go there tonight, on Halloween.

They were almost to the Square when Natsu took a sharp turn, detouring onto a smaller path that wound its way to the Southern part of the campus. Lucy rose a brow at this. There wasn't too much over there, just a couple lecture halls and some research labs. And a largely forested hill, she supposed, at the top of which was…

Lucy's breath hitched and she looked up at Natsu in surprise.

"We're not… going to the Observatory, are we?"

Natsu grinned brightly and Lucy's eyebrows lifted in shock.

"But surely it's locked, right?"

He winked.

"Natsu… _right_?"

"I may know a trick or two…" he said deviously.

Lucy followed in wonder as Natsu led them down the winding path and towards the domed building of the Observatory.

It was more of a theater than a place for scientific study. Lucy knew some of the adjacent buildings had telescopes used by student researchers, but the domed Observatory itself was mostly used for astronomy classes, its interior housing a projector that could display images and videos on the ceiling above the plush movie theater style seats.

Natsu led her around the back to a small door likely used by teachers and janitorial staff. She watched skeptically as he confidently grabbed the handle, pulled, and… it opened. Her jaw dropped.

"No way… they just leave it unlocked…? How did you know…?"

Natsu smiled with that annoying mysteriousness he'd adopted all night and she rolled her eyes, laughing.

"You're being awfully secretive, Natsu. Don't tell me you broke into here earlier?"

"Pfft, I would never!" Natsu paused as Lucy gave him a look. "Yeah, well, that's besides the point, I actually didn't - just called in a favor."

"You knew we'd come here tonight? You planned this?" she asked with a frown.

Natsu shrugged. "Had a hunch."

He slipped through the door, holding it open for Lucy, and she followed with wide eyes as he led her down a dark hall to a curtained doorway.

" _Natsu!_ " she whispered furiously, " _this isn't some trick is it?! No one is going to jump out or try to murder us or anything right?!"_

Her mind was racing, since, well, it _was_ Halloween and it'd be just like Natsu to trick her into some kind of Haunted House or something, but he just laughed and reached for her hand again as they neared the curtain.

He pulled it aside to reveal the main room of the Observatory theater, its seats empty. A projection was already playing on the ceiling, stars shining above as a recorded voice of a woman with a slight accent narrated lightly in the background.

Natsu strode into the room as Lucy looked around, wondering what this place looked like during the day. Classes held here were popular and usually full. Each one of these chairs would have a student, listening as a professor droned on about solar systems and planets, playing educational videos projected onto the ceiling above.

And on the weekends, the University sold tickets to star shows here, opening up the theater to the public. It was rare to see the space so empty, the seats unfilled. She continued to glance around in wonder as Natsu plopped down in the very middle, propping his feet up on the chair in front of him and putting his hands behind his head as he lounged back in the seat.

"Come on, Luce!" he said, her wide eyes turning to see him smiling cheerfully, as if this was the most normal thing in the world

"Natsu, how…?"

"Don't worry about it, Luce! Like I said, just called in a favor."

"Are we going to get in trouble for being here?"

"Nah, it's fine! Trust me, just come sit."

Lucy shook her head in wonder as she walked over to where Natsu was sitting and took a seat beside him tentatively. He reached out and pulled her closer, forcing her to fall back into his chest as he leaned back in the chair and stared up at the ceiling above. She blushed, a little tense.

"Natsu, are you sure…?"

"Yes, _relax,_ Luce, it's fine," he said, his voice close to her ear. "Just watch."

And she hummed, hesitantly letting herself relax into him as they watched the video of stars projected onto the ceiling, the female narrator talking about Greek constellations in the summer night skies.

"Thanks, Natsu," Lucy said softly after a moment and he chuckled.

"Could tell you hated the party anyways," he said, causing her to smile. She should've known she couldn't trick him.

"Shoulda brought popcorn though…" Natsu grumbled and Lucy laughed, well aware of the way his hand rested on the side of her waist…

* * *

_**Sunday, November 1** _ _**st** _ _**, 2020** _

_**-Magnolia City-** _

_**~20 Minutes Left in the Magic Hour~** _

The shimmering air of Fairy's Fate pulsed as Gray made his way inside the club. He'd greeted Elfman at the door, the surly bouncer letting him in with a big smile, a strong pat on the back, and some kind of comment about looking very manly tonight.

Inside, it was hotter than Element 4 had been, and he scowled. Gray didn't like the claustrophobia of tightly packed spaces or the heat of being surrounded by too many people.

He pushed his way through the crushing crowd with a deep frown as he worked his way towards the stairs that led up to Lachesis's Lounge, where Natsu had told him to meet via text. He was glad the other man was up there rather than in this pit of sweaty, dancing bodies. Lachesis's Lounge was usually much less crowded.

With a huff he broke free from the denizens of the dancefloor and made it to the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Everything up here on the second floor was silvery white. The lights, the furniture, the decorations. Even the bar of the lounge was a shiny steel, its surface scrubbed enough to mirror one's reflection back at them.

In fact, that was one of the themes of the lounge. Mirrors. They covered the walls, circled support pillars, studded the edges of tables. They reflected the bright lights strategically positioned around the lounge to give the space a bright angelic glow.

Gray glanced briefly in one of the mirrors on the wall as he passed and gave a start as he realized he was only in his boxers. _When the heck had he taken off his pants?!_

Well it had been too hot in here anyways! Could anyone really blame him?! He scowled again as he stalked up to the bar, ignoring the flirtatious glances coming his way from several of the girls standing there. It was Halloween, right? He'd definitely seen some girls in less, and his boxers looked like shorts anyways, so who the hell cared.

He'd just need to be careful not to take them off too…

" _Oi! Stripper!"_

Gray glared, turning at the call as he spotted Natsu across the room, sitting on a plush white couch near the balcony that looked out over the dancefloor. He nodded and started walking over to meet him, his eyes glancing to a large portrait of a blonde woman robed in Greek attire that hung on one of the walls, nestled amongst a tastefully arranged set of mirrors.

The Lady of the Lounge herself, Lachesis. The mirrors around her shimmered with light, giving her an angelic glow as she held between her hands a long thread of string. Her eyes seemed to meet his, staring back with a mysterious and knowing gaze. He shivered, looking away as he neared his friend.

"Yo," he said gruffly as he sauntered up to Natsu. "You good?" He gave the other man a once over, noting the sling and black eye. Other than that, though, Natsu looked fine, meeting Gray's cool gaze with a fiery one.

Natsu grinned as Gray sat and he handed him a drink that glowed blue. Gray wrinkled his nose at it.

"What's this? It looks fruity."

"Nah dude, it ain't too bad. Kinda sour. It's also what's free."

"Ah," Gray grunted, sipping the drink. He shrugged, it didn't have too much of a kick, but you couldn't argue with free.

"When did you take off all your clothes?" Natsu asked, an evil glint in his eye.

Gray scoffed. "Hardly all of them, I've still got shorts on."

"Your _boxers_ ," Natsu teased, Gray scowling back.

"Yeah whatever, it's too hot in here anyways."

Natsu shook his head, mystified. "Ain't hot at all."

Gray grunted, looking around the Lounge. "Why are there so many damn mirrors up here anyways?"

Natsu shrugged. "I dunno, man. Isn't it something about looking at yourself, where you're at in life, and thinkin' about if you're ready to die?"

Gray frowned. "Nah, isn't that Atropos's thing? Death?"

Natsu shrugged.

"Lachesis measured the length of life…" Gray continued. "So, I guess just reflecting on life in general? I dunno, either way, creeps me out, I don't like looking around and seeing so many reflections of myself."

"Yeah, I hate having to look at you, too," Natsu said, wrinkling his nose, and Gray scowled back, punching Natsu lightly in the shoulder of his uninjured arm. Natsu just laughed.

"Oi, asshole, you're lucky you're injured."

Natsu scoffed. "Hardly, this is nothing. You should see the other guy."

Gray's face grew dark as he thought back to the fight, and the man called Kurogane. The way he'd stood over Natsu's body, shadows at his feet…

"I got some good punches in on his chest," Natsu continued, sharp teeth flashing. "He'll have some serious bruising tomorrow. If I ever see that asshole again, I swear to god…"

"Who the fuck was that?" Gray asked, but not really expecting Natsu to have an answer. "And why wasn't it Jura? That's fucking shady."

Natsu shrugged. "Well it _is_ illegal bare-knuckled boxing. I just need to train better for next time."

Gray looked over at his friend, noticing the dark glint in his eyes as he presumably thought about how it would go next time.

"You're going to keep fighting?" Gray asked.

Natsu snorted. "Obviously."

Gray frowned, sipping more at the glowing blue drink. It wasn't actually that bad.

* * *

Levy's breath caught in her throat as she turned around a corner and came face to face with… herself.

She stared into the wide eyes of her own reflection, panting with surprise.

She looked around. The dark corridor here was splintering off into many different directions and as she continued to walk forward she found herself… in a mirror maze.

Everywhere she looked, reflections of herself were looking back, stretching off into the infinite distance. She glanced back to where she thought she had just come from. Maybe she should backtrack… But it was dark, and she couldn't tell now which path she had entered with or which were just reflections.

All she saw was herself. Iterations of herself, turning in the darkness, each one occupying its own path as if in some kind of parallel universe. She shivered, looking around cautiously.

A wolf howled in the distance, making her jump. She was getting really sick of the noises of the Haunted House. Each one put her on edge, her mind racing to determine if it was real or fake. And her ears were always straining for the sound of gunshots, paranoid that they would split the air open again.

She hesitantly walked further into the maze, trying to find the way to the other end. But it was dark. The machine-produced fog continued to swirl at her feet. And the deeper in she went, the closer she was getting to some kind of flashing white light. It must have been a strobe light, somewhere amongst the mirrors. As she got closer to it, the flashing effect made it look like she and her reflections were moving in slow motion. Like the frames of a moving picture.

A soft noise behind her made her pause, on edge. She glanced around, seeing only herself.

"H-hello?" she called out. The air made her skin crawl. She was wishing now she hadn't ripped off her cloak, leaving it on the ground when she'd panicked. She rubbed her arms nervously, eyes flickering from one reflection to another, seeing various versions of herself turned in different directions, each one seeing different things.

"G-gajeel…? Is that you?"

She nearly jumped out of her bones when the fucking wolf howled again, louder than before. Damn that fucking wolf! If she ever found where that sound was coming from, she would fucking break the tape, she swore to god-!

A soft click made her freeze, eyes going wide. She turned her head slightly, looking at one of the mirrors out of the corner of her eye, blood pounding in her ears. And there, in the reflection of the glass, Levy saw the barrel of a gun pointed at the back of her head.

Her mind went blank, sheer panic overwhelming her system. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't _think_.

She watched in painful slow motion as the black-gloved hand holding the gun pulled the trigger, the flashing of the strobe light seeming to slow the action down frame by frame.

Levy screamed, ducking down quickly and holding her head as the loud bang of a gunshot rang out through the mirrored maze. One of the mirrors nearby shattered into millions of pieces, falling around her in that painful slow motion as she knelt to the ground, wide-eyed and panting. It took several seconds for her to process that she was alright and _hadn't_ been shot, the mirror being the only gun's victim. _This time._

As waves of relief pounded through her, Levy realized four things.

 _One,_ she was alright. But _two_ , the gunman had been trying to shoot her. _Three,_ the gunman had shot the glass, clearly as disoriented in the mirror maze as Levy was herself. So _four._ She needed to get the fuck out of there before the gunman found _her_ and not just her reflections.

She forced back the wave of panic threatening to well up and drown her. _No._

She grit her teeth as she dove to the ground, army crawling through the shards of broken glass that littered the ground around her.

She was not going to die here! She still had so much she wanted to do!

She still needed to finish college! She needed to get her first job! She needed to buy her first apartment, get her first pet, and have fights with her first neighbors over strange leaks dripping from their apartment above!

There were so many places she still wanted to visit! And so many things she wanted to read! She needed to find out what had happened to her parents and there were library books sitting on her bed that would get overdue fines if she didn't return them and she'd never had her first kiss!

Levy struggled through the glass, flinching in fear as the gun went off again, more glass raining down around her as she crawled. In the back of her mind she was aware that she was crying, and that the sleeves of her shirt were getting ripped by the broken glass underneath.

She whimpered as the gun rang out a third time, but she didn't think she'd been hit. At least, she couldn't feel it if she had, her entire body numb from the shock of the situation she found herself in. Her vision was tunneling, only able to see the ground in front of her as she moved forward. Vaguely she heard shouts and a scuffle, but she didn't dare stop to see what was happening.

She just needed to keep going, get out of the maze and find Gajeel…

And then suddenly someone was grabbing her, lifting her up out of the glass. She shrieked, slapping at the arms holding her in a blind panic. They ignored her struggles, pulling her into a warm chest and she gasped as she recognized _his_ scent, inhaling it deeply.

It was the same scent she'd smelled two years ago, when he'd carried her home in the rain. It was warm and spicy, and slightly metallic. She breathed heavily in relief, leaning her head into Gajeel as he held her tightly.

"Levy? I've gotcha, 'kay? Yer okay…" Gajeel said in her ear and she nodded, her eyes closed.

He stroked the back of her head as he crouched in the glass, feeling her breathe on his neck, and he glared around the mirrored space, the strobe light still flashing somewhere nearby.

He hated the mirrors, forcing him to see his own reflection in their surface. He glared back into his own eyes. No wonder those kids had thought he worked there, he looked terrifying. And normally he loved it, but right now he hated everything about himself, for having put Levy through this hell.

His gaze swept to the body on the floor, across the room among the broken glass. He hadn't killed her, she was only passed out. It had been a gun _woman_.

And she had put up one hell of a fight. But luckily the mirrors had confused her, and he'd had the element of surprise on his side.

But since he'd only knocked her out, they needed to get out of there, before she woke up.

"Hey, Lev-," he started to say, looking down as she moved back from his chest to look up at his face. Her cheeks were tearstained, and there was a smear of blood on one, but his eyes widened slightly at the fierce look in her gaze.

"Thanks, Gajeel," she said.

"I'm-," she swallowed, "-I'm really glad to see you're okay."

He nodded, brushing a lock of hair from her face.

"We gotta get out of here, 'kay Lev?" he said, meeting her eyes again. "Ya good?"

She nodded back, her breathing steadier than before.

"Yes, I'm fine-," her eyes widened as Gajeel quickly stood up, taking her with him. She swallowed as she found herself in his arms, being carried bridal style once more as he picked his way through the shattered glass in the room.

"I, uh…" she started to say, beginning to blush. Gajeel glanced down at her briefly, before looking back up to the room. He half expected her to protest, like she had when he'd first carried her like this. But to his surprise she rested her head against his chest, turning her face into it.

"Thanks…" she said softly, her voice slightly muffled. He nodded once sharply, glaring as he worked his way towards a corridor at the end of the room, intent on getting them out of that fucking Haunted House before anyone found the two people now lying among its corridors, one dead and one passed out.

This may be a Haunted House, but he figured most of the guests tonight wouldn't appreciate the extra bodies added to the maze…

* * *

"So this Kurogane fellow, think he'd be easy to track down?" Natsu asked, glancing around the Lounge as he leaned against the couch, his good arm resting along its back.

Gray crossed his arms, exhaling in thought.

"Well I don't know who the fuck he was or where he came from, but the crowd certainly knew him. Everyone went wild when he jumped in to face you, no one really seemed upset that it wasn't Jura."

Natsu nodded thoughtfully.

"I should go back then, to the Dragon's Den, see what people know…"

Gray looked over at him in concern. "You aren't actually trying to find this guy, are you Natsu?"

Natsu shrugged.

"Wait, Natsu, you're not trying to _fight_ him again… are you?"

His concern grew as Natsu scowled darkly, sipping his drink rather than answering.

"That's a bad idea, dude," Gray said. "At least right now, with your shoulder all fucked up."

"It's _fine_ ," Natsu said, flashing him a glare. "This is _nothing_ , you know I've had worse injuries than this."

"Well yeah," Gray nodded, "but that was also a long time ago. It's been a while since someone actually beat you up this badly, and frankly I don't want to see it happen again."

Natsu scowled. "You really think he could beat me again? I'd like to see that asshole try!"

"You should at least wait until you've healed more," Gray ground out. "If not for you then for Lucy."

Natsu frowned, guilt churning in his gut. "Lucy was okay…"

"Yeah, maybe this time! And only because I looked out for her!"

" _Yeah_ I _know_ , and _thank you_ for that…" Natsu growled, glaring back at Gray.

"But I had to _hold her_ to keep her from jumping right into the Ring after you!" Gray cried.

" _Gray…_ "

"You can't just keep putting her in danger like that!" Gray continued, getting pissed off with Natsu's stubbornness.

"I don't want to!"

"Then don't look for Kurogane!"

"That _asshole_ deserves what's coming to him!" Natsu shouted.

"But you can't keep putting Lucy in danger! Did you even notice the way all those guys in there looked at her?!"

"…What are you saying."

"Are you an idiot?!" Gray asked.

"Gray… what… what are you saying…?" Natsu was glaring furiously at the carpet, anger growing in his mind.

"Natsu, Lucy is really fucking attractive! Anyone with eyes can see that! It wasn't safe!"

"Shut up! _Don't say that about Lucy!"_ Natsu cried.

"What, that's she's attractive? Fucking gorgeous?! I'm not fucking blind Natsu! I'm a guy! Just like those assholes in the Dragon's Den! It wasn't safe, and you should've known that! And we shouldn't've led Lucy, and Levy for that matter, to a place like that-!,"

" _Gray…"_ Natsu growled, so low that Gray almost didn't here. He looked over at his friend and stopped midsentence. Gray's eyes widened at the furious glare Natsu was shooting him.

" _Do you… do you have a thing for Lucy?"_

Gray narrowed his eyes at the barely repressed rage in Natsu's tone. He noticed how tense he was.

Gray leaned back, crossing his arms, " _No_ ," he spat out. " _No_ , I do _not_ have a thing for Lucy."

"You sure?" Natsu growled, leaning forward towards him. "'Cause you just told me you _held_ her! That you think she's _gorgeous_!"

"Because she fucking is, Natsu! That doesn't mean I _like_ her!"

" _Doesn't it?!_ " Natsu stood, Gray quickly standing to face him.

" _No!_ But other guys _will,_ Natsu! You have to realize that!" Gray cried, glaring sharply into Natsu's eyes as they stared each other down.

Natsu growled, "Stay the _fuck_ away from _my girl_ , Gray!"

Gray blinked, then glared again.

"Your girl." He stated, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "And who the _fuck_ is _your girl_ Natsu?"

Natsu frowned furiously. "Don't be dumb, ice dick, you know who I mean!"

"Do I? Does _she_? Does _Lucy_ know she's 'your girl'?" Gray snapped.

" _What?_ " Natsu shook his head. "Yeah, I… I mean, we talked…"

" _Did you?_ 'Cause from where I'm standing, Natsu, Lucy looks awfully single," Gray said, anger flashing in his eyes as he met Natsu's fiery glare. He continued, purposefully egging him on.

"I'm pretty sure even _she_ thinks she's single. So who the fuck is _your girl,_ Natsu?"

He paused, Natsu's nostrils flaring, confusion and anger flickering in the man's eyes.

"Maybe I _should_ date Lucy," Gray continued. "Why not?! She's _single_ , right?! And she's beautiful and funny and smart! Why _shouldn't_ I get to be with someone like her? Why _shouldn't_ I get to be with a girl like that?!"

Gray was fucking pissed. Yeah, okay, he'd had a crush on Lucy at the beginning. She _was_ beautiful, and very outgoing and whiplash smart. She was fun to be with and her smile lit up a room. But it'd been pretty obvious from the very start that Natsu had a thing for her.

So he'd held back. Out of respect for his friend. He hadn't tried to flirt with her or pursue her, and he'd let it go. Because he didn't want to compete with his best friend for a girl. Sure, they fought a lot. But never over girls.

But now he was _pissed._ Because he'd backed off, given Natsu lots of space, even prevented other guys from going after her, but had to watch as for _three years_ Natsu fucking beat around the bush. Blundered at every turn. He and Lucy had become close _friends_ , but they sure as hell weren't _dating._

And now Natsu had the audacity to call Lucy _his girl_?

"What, you gonna punch me?" Gray asked, seething as he met Natsu's glare. "'Cause I think Lucy's beautiful? 'Cause I would want to date her?"

Both men were bristling and tense, staring each other down as they stood only a foot away.

"Do it," Gray breathed. " _Do it!"_

Natsu flinched, his left arm still hanging in the sling around his neck, his right hand fisted at his side.

"You're really gonna fight me?" Gray asked, his voice dangerously low. "You're really gonna fight me over this?"

* * *

_**Wednesday, October 31st, 2018** _

_**-Hargeon Town-** _

_**~Two Years Ago~** _

"You're really gonna fight me over this, Lucy?" Cana asked, one eyebrow raised at her giggling friend.

Lucy laughed as Cana held her hand, trying to pull the girl inside to get a glass of water.

"Lucy you should drink some water, _trust me_ , I know."

"Cana, I'm fine!" Lucy chuckled, swaying around on her insanely high stiletto heels. Cana had found her to let her know Levy had just left, but she'd discovered the girl was pretty tipsy, both from the alcohol and the unfamiliar footwear.

"Lucy, you're going to trip and hurt yourself. Maybe just take them off?"

Lucy shook her head, smiling back mischievously. Cana sighed. Drunk Lucy was acting like a little child, and Cana didn't like being a babysitter. She was contemplating sitting Lucy down and getting her a glass of water herself, when a tall, attractive young man strode up, blatantly sweeping his eyes up and down Lucy's body as the drunk and unaware girl continued to giggle. Cana narrowed her eyes at the guy.

"Hey cutie, looking a little 'flaming hot' tonight," he said, sipping his drink casually as he referenced the demon costume with flames that Lucy had on. She giggled some more, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Cana rolled her eyes.

"Want me to get you a drink?" he asked, but Cana snorted.

"She's had enough, thanks."

He frowned.

"Well what about a dance, then? Would you let me _dance with the devil_?" he winked at Lucy and she blushed, laughing behind one hand as Cana still held the other.

"I don't think that's a good idea…" Cana started to say, but the man was ignoring her, trying to get Lucy's attention.

"You got a boyfriend, baby?" he asked, moving to snake an arm around her waist.

Drunk Lucy didn't notice the action, her mind instantly flashing to the pink-haired man she'd loved for the past year. But… they weren't _technically_ dating… so…

She shook her head. She didn't technically have a boyfriend. The thought made her sad.

"Well perfect then, come dance with me," he continued, trying to pull Lucy away from Cana.

" _Don't touch her_ ," a deep voice growled, and Lucy's heartbeat picked up as she looked over and saw Natsu, glaring at the man beside her and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

The man frowned. "Back off, jerk. We're going to go dance."

Cana glanced back and forth between Natsu and the new guy, both men bristling. She gently pulled a blushing Lucy away, back across the lawn to get away from them.

"Leave her alone! She doesn't want to dance with you!" Natsu said, shooting daggers at the guy.

"Wait, I'm sorry, who the fuck are you? There are lots of girls here, man, go dance with someone else."

He turned to go after Lucy but suddenly stumbled to the grass as Natsu punched him across the cheek.

" _What the hell, man?!_ " he cried, leaping up and rushing at Natsu, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

Cana watched as the scuffle escalated and soon other people had gotten involved. A full-on brawl broke out, sweeping from the yard into the street, with drunken party-goers stumbling after, yelling and shouting as they watched.

She sighed, exasperated, still holding Lucy's hand. The drunk girl was trying to wrap her brain around what was happening, increasingly upset at seeing Natsu fighting in the street.

"Cana! We need to go stop them!" she cried, trying to tug her friend with her towards the street. But Cana shook her head, instead pulling Lucy back with her into the house.

"No, you need water, Lucy, you won't be able to walk back if you're shitfaced," Cana said. " _But I think I know someone who wouldn't mind carrying you back, if it came to that…_ " she muttered, adding that last part under her breath.

In the street, the guy who had flirted with Lucy was furiously trying to hold his own against the unnecessarily violent man with pink hair. _Seriously, what the hell was his problem? And why'd he dye his hair fucking pink for Halloween?!_

"What the _fuck,_ man?!" he cried, holding his arms up as he tried to block a punch.

" _Stay the fuck away from Lucy, you bastard!_ " Natsu growled, swinging around to punch him in the other side, the guy's eyes widening.

"Well, fuck," he scoffed with realization, spitting to the side. "Tell your bitch not to be a fucking tease next time!"

Natsu just glared fiercely as he jumped forward again, intent on beating the guy up as the other people that had gotten swept up in the brawl continued to fight around them, unaware of how it had all started in the first place.

* * *

_**Sunday, November 1** _ _**st** _ _**, 2020** _

_**-Magnolia City-** _

_**~12 Minutes Left in the Magic Hour~** _

"Do it, Natsu! Punch me! I dare you!" Gray growled, seeing the rage and confusion in his friend's eyes. " _Just do it!"_

Natsu roared as he surged forward and did just that, punching Gray solidly in the jaw. Gray flinched as he stumbled backwards, falling halfway to the ground. He glared up at Natsu, ready for the man to attack again, but now Lisanna had rushed between them, frantically putting a hand on Natsu's chest to keep him from punching Gray again.

" _What the hell, you guys?!"_ she cried, looking back and forth between them and frowning deeply. Sure, the guys fought a lot, but not like _this._

Natsu looked like he wanted to straight up murder Gray. There was no friendliness to this fight.

" _What the hell?!"_ she cried again, trying to figure out what had happened. The two men growled, looking away from her as Cana and Lucy rushed up to see what was happening.

The three girls had come back from dancing, to meet up with Natsu and Gray and to get more drinks. They'd been at the bar when Lisanna had spotted the guys by the balcony, ready to call out to them and wave. But something had her pausing, noticing how angry and tense they both looked, the air around them practically crackling.

She'd run over as soon as she saw Natsu getting ready to punch Gray, his eyes dark with unbridled anger. She hadn't seen him that genuinely angry in a _long_ time.

"Gray, are you alright?!" Lucy cried, kneeling down next to him and putting a hand up to his face. He winced as she touched his jaw, where Natsu had punched him.

" _What the fuck?!"_ Natsu seethed, and Lisanna had to push more roughly against his chest to prevent him from surging forward. "You're worried about _that_ asshole?"

The three girls frowned at him and Gray looked away darkly.

"What?" Lucy asked as she held Gray's arm, helping him stand. " _Of course_ I'm worried about Gray! What were you _thinking_ , Natsu?! Why were you guys fighting?!"

Natsu snorted. "Ask Gray, _he_ started it."

"Really, Natsu? You're going to pin this on _me_ when _you_ are the one being _fucking dense_?!"

"Shut up, popsicle dick!"

"You're being fucking childish, flame brain!" Gray yelled.

"Oh yeah? Well at least I don't have a fucking _stripping_ habit!" Natsu yelled back.

"It's not a stripping habit!"

"Then where the fuck are your _clothes?!"_

"And where the fuck is your _girlfriend?!"_

"Your… girlfriend?" Lucy breathed, looking back and forth between the two men in confusion.

" _Why the fuck are you still touching him?!"_ Natsu cried, and all of them looked to where Lucy was still holding onto Gray's arm, after having helped him stand.

"I-," Lucy started, but Gray cut her off, yanking his arm from her grasp.

" _You guys-!"_ Gray said fiercely, pointing between Lucy and Natsu, "-need to have a _fucking_ conversation!"

Cana raised an eyebrow and Lisanna frowned deeply.

"And _I_ need a _fucking_ drink!" Gray snapped, stomping off to the bar.

The friends watch him leave, Lucy's heart pounding in her chest. She turned to Natsu, looking up at his face as he glared after Gray.

"Natsu… who's your girlfriend?" Lisanna asked, and Natsu growled, looking at the ground. He clenched and unclenched his good hand. Then he looked up at Lucy and she shivered as she met his burning eyes.

"Come on, Luce, I… wanna show you something…" he said, gingerly grabbing her hand and pulling her away towards one end of the bar.

"Natsu-?!" Lucy said, stumbling as she followed. "-What?!"

But he didn't answer, simply kept pulling her after him, and she blushed slightly as she glanced back at Cana and Lisanna, the two girls watching them go.

"So," Cana said, sipping another Blue Moon Drip she had somehow acquired within the last several minutes. "Looks like we really will need to work on getting ourselves laid tonight, if we want to keep up with our friends."

Lisanna snorted, looking over at Cana.

"Really? You don't think they're…?" she asked.

Cana winked. "And when did Gray lose all his clothes?" she asked suggestively, and both girls giggled as they walked back to the bar.

* * *

For Natsu Dragneel, it had been love at first sight.

Granted, he didn't really know a single thing about love…

Well, he knew the basic concept, right? People got together and decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with each other. And then they did. _Happy Ever After_ and all that shit, right?

Natsu never had parents. Well, he'd probably had them at some point, but they hadn't stuck around long enough for him to remember them. And he supposed they had probably been in love. Hopefully. But he'd never seen it.

Growing up, Natsu made friends easily. He was outgoing and friendly, and even though he picked fights often, he still knew how to make up and be friends after. So _platonic_ love, sure, he was familiar with that. That was all well and good.

But romance? Kissing? Love-y dove-y crap? He didn't really get it.

In High School, when couples were making out behind the bleachers, Natsu was up in the stands cheering on the football teams. And at all the school dances, when people would snake their arms around each other and melt in each other's bodies during the slow songs, Natsu was either too busy playing games with his friends or chowing down at the snack table to notice.

And yes, girls flirted with him. Natsu wasn't as dense as people thought he was, he could tell when girls were interested in him. The part he maybe didn't get was _why_. Because he'd never been interested in any of them - outside of being friends, of course.

And since he wasn't interested, and he frankly didn't want to deal with it, he'd shoot them down real quick, telling them he loved them too – but as friends. Of course.

So Natsu developed a heartbreaker reputation, friend-zoning every girl that approached him. He just wasn't interested in dating and everyone knew. It was typical Natsu. Friendly. Outgoing. Single, but having the time of his life.

But when Natsu Dragneel first saw Lucy Heartfilia, he just _knew_.

Okay, picture this.

You're minding your own business before class, setting an old piece of paper on fire (because you're a pyromaniac) instead of throwing it away (because you're not a normie) and your idiot wet blanket of a friend is saying something about fire hazards when you glance up and look across the sea of heads in the hallway and your eyes meet hers for the first time and-

Honestly you have no memory of what the hallway looked like or what the wet blanket was saying. You can't remember anything other than her eyes because when you looked in them, you just _knew_. You knew _this is someone I love_. You can't even really remember what the rest of her looked like or what she was wearing. When you looked in her eyes, you _felt it._ You _knew_.

And then in classic rom-com fashion some random extra gets between you and this girl and you're left blinking, completely caught off guard because you just met _the love of your life_ and now you needed to go find out what her name was.

Natsu had grinned, handing the flaming paper off to a pissed and disgruntled Gray, and jostled his way through the crowd, looking for that pair of eyes. He'd wound up in front of Levy, who was standing next to the love of his life, and both girls glanced up at him, Levy lifting an eyebrow at his sudden appearance.

"Oh hey, Natsu, this is my new friend Lucy," she'd said, turning to the girl. Natsu had grinned widely at her, staring once more into her gorgeous, perfect eyes, and she'd looked back at him a little shyly.

"Hello, nice to meet yo-oh!" she'd started to say, but opened her mouth in surprise as Natsu pulled her into a tight hug. She'd looked back at Levy with raised eyebrows and Levy had chuckled, winking at her.

"That's just typical Natsu!" she'd chirped, the blonde girl nodding as the overly outgoing guy she'd just met was giving her a friendly hug.

Natsu didn't always have the right words or know how to say the right thing, but he always knew how to listen to his gut. And sure, it was listening to his gut that made him impulsive and reckless, but it was also his gut that had told him in that moment that _this_ was what love was.

And he had been so confident that she had felt it too, that he didn't even think to ask her about it.

They quickly became close friends, as naturally as if they'd known each other their whole lives. They had the same sense of humor and could talk for hours. Natsu found himself wanting to know everything about her. Like, did she like cereal and what was her favorite brand? And why was it Cinnamon Toast Crunch (because duh, it was obviously the best one)?

If she had a whole Sunday afternoon free to herself, how would she choose to spend it? What did her hair look like in starlight? Or when it rained? Or at six in the morning when the sun was beginning to rise and its light filtered through a shuttered window, casting beams throughout a room?

And what were the things she cried about in the dead of night, when she felt like she was the only person in the world? Because he didn't want her to feel like she was alone ever again, she had him.

Well, wait, it wasn't like he was a stalker or anything. And he certainly didn't obsess over her, in any kind of creepy possessive way. He just loved her. It was natural. Obvious. It felt right. Everything about the whole situation, him and her, and them together, just fit together in his head, clicking into place and it made so much _sense._

Natsu wasn't good with words, he was a man of action.

It was through his actions that he told her he loved her. Through the way he smiled at her every day, helped her carry her bag when it was too heavy, and hugged her, whenever she needed it of course, but mostly just because he wanted to.

He told her he loved her in the spaces between words in texts sent late at night, in the laughing pauses of conversations that lasted for hours, and in how he made room for her fingers to fit between his own when they held hands. He told her he loved her every day.

And he could tell she loved him too, because of the way she looked into his eyes. Just like the first moment they met.

It was so obvious to him that he assumed it was obvious for her too, and for the first couple months, things were perfect.

Until they weren't.

* * *

_**Tuesday, October 31st, 2017** _

_**-Hargeon Town-** _

_**~Three Years Ago~** _

The party had just started and it already sucked.

"TO HALLOWEEEEN! WHOOOOO!" Max shouted, raising his shot glass in a toast with the group of roommates in the kitchen. Natsu grimaced slightly as he downed the quick shot, slamming his glass down on the counter. It was fine, but it wasn't Fireball. And the house was already slammed with college students, the music pounding with bass, but _she_ wasn't there yet.

So it was _fine_. But kinda lame.

Where was she?

"I'm gonna do a lap around the house!" he yelled at Gray, the cool man sipping at another shot glass as he smirked at Natsu.

"Trying to find Lucy?" he asked and Natsu snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever! You should be trying to find your clothes!" he retorted, and laughed as Gray looked down at himself with wide eyes, noticing that he'd already lost his shirt.

The lap around the house proved futile. He recognized other girls from the place Lucy lived, but he couldn't find her anywhere. Was she not coming?

He flipped his phone out to check the time. It was already well past eleven!

Well, only by ten minutes. But still!

Gray found him, handing the man a red cup with mystery alcohol, and dragged him to the living room to dance.

"She'll show up!" Gray shouted, eyeing his friend. "Just dance!"

Natsu jumped on a table, deciding to at least send her a SmackChat while he waited. Diving off the table had pissed a couple people off, which had led to some entertaining fights, but Gray had intervened in his usual wet blanket ways, and Natsu stormed off to the kitchen to get another drink, having spilled his all over the crowd when he dive-bombed the dancefloor.

He found Loke in the kitchen, the suave man leaning against the counter and flirting shamelessly with two scantily clad maids. Natsu snorted, flipping through the cupboards to find the Fireball, and accidentally bumped into the man as he went to check the counter behind where he stood.

"Woah there, Natsu! Chill out! You almost made me spill my drink! You should be more careful in the presence of ladies!" Loke said, smirking back at the two women.

"Well…" one said, glancing over at the other. "We wouldn't mind doing some _cleaning_ for you, if you needed it…" she trailed off suggestively and the two giggled as Loke raised an eyebrow at them.

Natsu rolled his eyes, finally finding the Fireball and pouring himself a generous shot.

"What a helpful offer!" Loke said, inching his way closer to them as they laughed behind their hands. "I would expect no less, from a pair of _dedicated maids_ such as yourselves…"

Natsu tuned it out, not caring to get involved in Loke's flirtations. He downed the shot of Fireball, quickly pouring himself another as he watched the partygoers beyond the kitchen.

"- and you can call me 'Master' if you'd like, given the nature of your night. But we should come up with a safe word, ladies. Communication is key! Trust me, guys are dense as fuck. They really need things spelled out for them," Loke said, still wooing the women nearby as Natsu tried to ignore them.

Loke glanced over at him, his eyebrow raising.

"Ah, take Natsu here! Dense as a doorknob! Oy, Natsu!" he called, grinning as Natsu glared over at him.

" _What?"_ he asked, sipping at his shot glass.

"Natsu, how would you know if a girl was in love with you?" he asked.

Natsu frowned. _What? Why did this matter?_

"Uh," he said, thinking back to the girls that had asked him out in High School. "I guess they'd tell me?"

" _Exactly,"_ Loke continued, turning back to the girls. "Guys don't get it unless you spell it out for them. I'm guessing Natsu wouldn't know what love was unless it hit him over the head. He, like most men, have no idea how to handle it. Trust me, ladies, I'm much more _experienced_ in the ways of _romancing_ , I can show you _a good night_ …"

Loke's annoying tongue was still talking, but now Natsu was thinking.

_How would you know if a girl was in love with you?_

_Guys don't get it unless you spell it out for them._

But things were different between him and Lucy, right? Because they both just _knew_.

Well, now he wasn't so sure. Because he realized that they'd never actually _talked_ about it. Was that important? Had he fucked up? Crap.

He glared at the ground, leaning against the counter as he sipped at the shot glass, his mind spinning in circles.

Damn it! This was why he stayed away from love-y dove-y crap! Why was it all so confusing?!

He glanced over at Loke, the other man still smirking as he talked to the two maids, and Natsu was suddenly kinda pissed that he'd made this more complicated than it should be. He swallowed down the rest of the Fireball, setting the glass down on the counter, and stalked over to the other man, causing Loke to glance up at in surprise.

"Natsu-?" he asked, but Natsu was leaning forward into his face, glaring sharply.

"That's bullshit, thought, right? Because if it _matters_ they _know_ , right?"

"Uh," Loke said, frowning back at his roommate. "…what?"

But Natsu was still talking, his eyes drifting in thought. "Because when you _know_ , you _know_ , right? Isn't that how it all works? And if it _feels_ right then it _is_ right, _right?_ "

"Uhhh," Loke said, staring back at Natsu who seemed to be ranting in gibberish. "Listen Natsu, if you want to punch a face in, go find Gray…"

But Natsu wasn't really paying attention, and Loke glanced over at the girls he'd been flirting with, both frowning back with just as much confusion as he felt.

And then Gray showed up, putting a firm hand on Natsu's shoulder and pulling him away from where he'd backed Loke against the counter. Loke gave Gray a relieved smile.

"Yo, back off Natsu, what'd Loke do to you?" Gray grumbled, trying to figure out what was wrong with the guy, but his friend shook his head, frowning at his thoughts.

His mind was still spinning and he wondered if it was from the alcohol. But he could usually hold his liquor pretty well, so that shouldn't've been the problem. Everything would be better when Lucy finally showed up, so where the hell was she? He pulled his phone out to check if she'd texted him in the two minutes since he'd last looked, and followed Gray back into the crowded living room.

And luckily, he didn't have to wait for long, as the blonde girl soon walked in moment later, wearing a colored t-shirt with holes and a pair of bunny ears. He laughed when he saw her, what a weirdo!

And now the party didn't suck so much anymore.

It was quite dark in the backyard when they raced outside to catch fireflies. Natsu could feel the warmth from the alcohol coursing through his system as his keen eyes tracked the paths of the bugs flickering through the air.

He whooped when he caught one, bringing it back to Lucy so she could help him get it in the jar they'd brought outside, and she held it up between them after the lid was screwed on tight, watching the glowing bug in wonder as it floated about inside. The firefly's light illuminated Lucy's face with warmth, and he couldn't help but stare as she grinned at the jar, blonde locks of hair framing her glowing cheeks. He swallowed thickly.

She knew, right?

His mind flashed back to the worry he'd felt earlier, after hearing Loke rant about communication and safe words (?), and Natsu frowned as he couldn't get it out of his head. Because he _knew_. So she had to know too, right? Fuck. He wasn't sure. And he wasn't good at this shit.

But he figured maybe he should say something, just to make sure they were on the right track. They didn't need to ever talk about it again, he just wanted to make sure.

"So, uh… I'm not very good at this… but I figured I should just say something anyways - give it a shot. And maybe it's the alcohol talking but here goes. I like you. Like a lot. Like, uh, _like you_ , like you. And I uh, I guess I wanted to make sure you liked me too? Like, we're not just friends, right? But like, more? If we were more than just friends… would, uh, would you like that too?"

She was looking up at him now, a slight crease in her brow, and Natsu felt like he was sweating bullets. What the hell was he saying?! He'd trusted his gut and had just gone for it, but the longer he talked the more it sounded like shit.

She was looking back at him, her mouth slightly open, and the glowing light from the firefly between them gave her eyes a mysterious glint. What was she thinking?! Natsu stared at her intently, his eyes flickering to her lips, to her hair. It was slightly mussed up from the racing around they'd done all night and he wanted to reach out and twirl his fingers through it. She was just so _beautiful_.

Had he just fucked things up? By saying something? Had he said the wrong thing? Maybe he shouldn't've said anything at all!? Now he was wishing he had just shut up, praying for this moment of uncertainty to end, and then they could go back to the perfect way they were before. She had probably already _known_ too, like he had, and now she was laughing at him for being so ridiculous and saying all this silly stuff.

He watched her nervously, seeing the slight frown on her face, and his heart pounded in his chest as he waited for her to say something. _Anything._ Anything to end this awful uncertainty!

But then she smiled sweetly and his heart raced as he grinned with relief because it was okay. He already knew what she was going to say, just from the way her eyes were looking up into his.

" _Of course, Natsu. With you, I'd love that."_

* * *

_**Sunday, November 1** _ _**st** _ _**, 2020** _

_**-Magnolia City-** _

_**~2 Minutes Left in the Magic Hour~** _

The cool night air brushed against Lucy's cold cheeks as she followed Natsu out a door and… onto the roof of Fairy's Fate. She blinked, looking around in wonder as the lights of Magnolia City sprawled out around her into the distance.

"Wow!" she breathed, rushing after him as he walked up to the edge, which overlooked the large avenue of the Strip.

"Just, _wow!_ " she said, leaning up against the railing, her eyes wide. "Is this what you wanted to show me?" she asked, turning to Natsu.

He glanced at her, her eyes shining, and he nodded, leaning against the railing next to her as they watched the people continuing to party in the street below.

The Strip was lit up with glowing signs and shimmering lights. Lucy smiled as the music from the various clubs and bars drifted through the air around them, varying widely. And each establishment was packed, lines snaking from the buildings as people tried to get in.

It was a little chilly out here in the cold and Lucy shivered as goosebumps spread on her bare arms. She rubbed her hands on her arms, trying to warm them up, and then blushed when Natsu reached his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to his body heat.

She glanced up at him, seeing the way the well-lit street below made his skin look soft. His dark eyes were still watching the revelry. And her heart beat harder as she thought back to what had just happened with Gray.

Should she… ask him about it? She wanted to, but there was a lump of fear in her throat, preventing her from saying the words. Did… Natsu have a girlfriend? Is that what Gray had implied? She felt anxiety twist in her stomach at the thought. It wasn't possible, right? Wouldn't she have known about it if it was true?

She wanted to know, but she was too scared to find out. She was too scared that if she brought it up it would become real. Lucy realized that even though she and Natsu weren't dating, they were still incredibly close. And she couldn't imagine him with _a girlfriend_. If Natsu got a girlfriend… what would that mean for their friendship? What would that mean… _for her?_

She felt her eyes begin to prick, starting to well up with tears. The thought of Natsu with _another girl_ was breaking her heart. But she also realized that it was because she loved him, that she needed to support him no matter what. And if that meant accepting _another girl_ as his _girlfriend_ , then that was what she needed to do.

Because Natsu was her best friend. Sure, Levy was her Best Friend, but Natsu was her _best friend_. She didn't even know how it had happened, they'd just gotten incredibly close during the last three years of school. They saw each other every day, hung out every day, talked _every day_. She needed to _be there_ for him every day too, even if it shattered her heart, like the glass of a mirror, into millions of tiny shards.

She let out a shaky breath, steeling herself for the question, and looked up at the silent man tentatively.

"Natsu… what… what did Gray mean?" she asked, peering at him through her eyelashes. "Do… do you have a girlfriend?"

Her heart was racing as she tensed, waiting for his reply, but he let out a heavy sigh, pulling her closer to him such that she was tucked into his chest, his good arm wrapped around her tightly.

"Shit, Luce, I thought…" he said, glancing down at her then back to the street. "I kinda thought… _you_ were my girlfriend…"

Lucy blinked. What?

_What?!_

" _WHAT?!"_ she cried, pulling back from him slightly to stare up at his face as he winced, unable to meet her eyes. "What-?! I-! How-? _How could you think that?"_ she yelled, her heart racing as she put a hand to her chest in shock.

He frowned, looking back at her for a moment, then scowled down at the street.

"Do you… not wanna be?" he asked and her mouth opened, shocked that this was even happening.

" _No!_ " she cried, then blinked rapidly. "Wait! I mean, _yes!_ But also _no_ , that's not what I meant! I, just-! I mean, how-?! How did you think we were dating?! Why did you think that?! Oh my god, I thought Gray was saying you had a _girlfriend!_ Well I guess you're saying you thought so, too-? But like _howisthat evenpossible?_ What possibly made you think we were dating?!"

Natsu frowned. "When I told you I liked you. And you said you liked me, too."

Lucy stared at him, dumbstruck.

"You did? And I did? When did _that_ happen?"

"On Halloween! Uh, three-? years ago! You don't remember? Look it doesn't matter, point is I said something! I thought we were good!"

"You _said_ something? You thought we were _good_?"

"Yeah! And we were! We have been!" Natsu cried, upset with how Lucy seemed to be reacting at all this. Was she upset with him?

"Shit, Luce-," Natsu said, "You're crying…"

Lucy blinked rapidly, realizing that she hadn't even known she'd started crying, the tears that had welled up from her earlier anxiety at the thought of him having a girlfriend that wasn't her finally pooling out to run down her cheeks.

Natsu reached his hand out to brush them off, but then hesitated an inch away. If she was mad at him, could he even touch her right now? He swallowed thickly. He was nervous and scared that she hated him and really fucking pissed off at Gray for bringing the whole thing up. Because they'd been perfect! At least, he thought they had been!

Lucy didn't notice his hesitation, because now she was realizing something else.

"…three years…?" she breathed, her eyes wide. "Have you thought… we've been _dating_ … for _three years?"_

Natsu blinked anxiously. "Uh…"

"Oh my god. _Three years!_ I can't believe this! All this time I thought _you_ were being dense but now… Now I find out that _I've_ been the dense one? _This whole time?!"_

"Lucy…" Natsu said, wanting to comfort her. Wanting to help her calm down. "I'm really sorry, I thought we both knew…? I thought we were on the same page?"

"About _dating?_ " she turned to him, staring into his eyes, and he tried to figure out what the look in her eyes meant.

"Natsu, if we've been _dating_ then why haven't we been kissing?! Or, or, or having _sex?!_ How could you think we've been dating when we haven't even _kissed?_ Don't tell me that happened also, and I just don't remember!?"

Natsu shook his head, making her sigh in relief. She swiped her hands across her cheeks, trying to dry them off as more tears escaped her eyes. She wasn't even crying for a specific reason now, it was just all so much.

"Nah, we haven't," he said, looking away again. "I figured you wanted to take things slow…"

"My god, _three years_ slow?!"

"Uh… yeah, you uh, you said you wanted space… one time…"

Lucy shook her head, mystified. "I don't even remember that?!"

"Are you… are you mad at me?" he asked, glancing at her desperately.

"Wha-?" she asked, looking up at him as she sniffed, and then suddenly she was laughing, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

" _No!_ " she said between the laughter. "No, I'm not mad! I'm just-! So- so confused? And overwhelmed!"

And Natsu was relieved, a small grin spreading across his mouth as he watched her with confusion, as she simultaneously laughed and cried at the same time. What a weirdo.

"Well then, uh," he said, his tone causing her to look up into his eyes. He wasn't sure if this was the right move, and he didn't want to make her cry again, but a feeling in his gut was making him feel hotter than normal and he let his impulsive nature take over. "Do you wanna… stop taking things slow?"

Lucy shivered at the way he was looking at her, his eyes dark and his voice husky. She glanced down at his lips involuntarily, suddenly so close to her face as he leaned towards her.

"I-," she began to say, her heart racing from the question, but a loud bang had her turning her head and looking out over the Strip in surprise.

At the end of the street, above a large hot pink club with blue lights, bright shapes were erupting in the sky and Lucy's distracted brain slowly realized that they must be fireworks, to celebrate the end of the Magic Hour. Flowers and hearts and unicorns danced across the sky, and Lucy's eyes widened with wonder.

She turned back to Natsu to finish her reply but never got the chance as he kissed her.

Lucy gasped in surprise, Natsu's hot lips enveloping her own in a deep kiss that was causing her mind to short-circuit. She closed her eyes, leaning into him as he pulled her closer with his good arm, running his hand down her back and settling it in the curve of her spine.

He started to pull away, but she reached up and entangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him back and kissing him again fiercely.

They were both breathing hard when the kiss ended, and Natsu leaned his forehead on her own as she stared up into his eyes. He grinned at the way she was looking back at him, her eyes slightly unfocused and clouded with lust.

"I-," she panted, swallowing hard. "I think I'd be okay with moving less slow…"

He chuckled, rubbing his hand up and down her back as she shivered at the touch.

"Sounds good, Luce," he said. "So, does that mean you'll be my girlfriend?"

Lucy laughed at the question, breathless from the kiss, and moved her hands from his hair to rest on either side of his neck. His skin was hot, sending tingles through her skin, and she wondered how she had ever been okay not being able to touch him like this before.

"Of course, Natsu," she said, leaning into his warmth with a sigh.

"With _you_ -," she pulled him close again, their lips almost touching, their breath mingling in the space between them. And it was him, and her, and them together. It was right.

"-I'd love that."

* * *

This place was…! Was...! Was _pure hell!_

Jet and Droy paled as they raced through the hot pink club, frantically passing many scandalously dressed patrons packed together in the bubblegum pink rooms. They were all dancing, and grinding against each other, and sipping at pastel colored drinks with rainbow striped straws.

"Woah there, boys!" a sexy clown said as they almost ran into him, eyeing them both seductively. "I don't usually bite more than I can chew, but I'd be willing to juggle both of _you_ ," he said, winking and lipping his lips, and Jet and Droy screamed, spinning around and running into their own _reflections!_

Wait, not their reflections, just two men who looked a lot like them – one tall with ginger hair and the other shorter, slightly chubby, with brown hair – standing there and staring back at them wide-eyed. But the two men were wearing… a lot less. And holding hands!

Jat glanced down and realized he'd been holding Droy's hand also!

He cried, pushing it away.

"We need to get out of here!" Droy wailed, and Jet nodded in panic.

He didn't need to be told twice, turning and bolting for the exit, knowing Droy would be right behind.

As they ran out into the busy street, fireworks went off above the hot pink club behind them, a bursting display of flowers and butterflies and pink ponies. They panted as they pushed their way through the bustling sidewalk, glancing anxiously around at the many clubs and bars and other venues of entertainment that stretched down the Strip, seemingly into eternity.

_Oh where, oh where, were Levy and their friends!?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !
> 
> So this chapter was basically two, but I wanted to start with Halloween 2017 in Lucy's perspective and end with Halloween 2017 in Natsu's perspective. I thought about splitting it up, but couldn't decide on the best place to do that. So voila!
> 
> I like the idea that Natsu isn't as dense as people think, he just doesn't understand the societal expectations of dating. He knows what he wants and he knows he loves Lucy, he just doesn't know the right way to ask her out or what is expected in a relationship.
> 
> And Lucy is so busying overthinking those things – daydreaming about him asking her out and worrying that since he hasn't (that she knows of) it means he only sees her as a friend – that she fails to notice they've basically already been dating, minus the kissing and sex. Because after all, a great relationship needs the basis of a great friendship. Everyone says the person you're supposed to marry should be your best friend, right?
> 
> Is it a bit far-fetched that it took them three years to resolve the miscommunication? Possibly. But I like how dramatic it is this way.~
> 
> Remember in Chapter 2 when it's a fight spilling into the road that forces Gajeel to turn around on his bike? ;) now we know what happened.
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> I've said it before, but this story is taking longer to write than I initially expected!
> 
> To give you some reference, I had planned to have this chapter written by the end of October! Lmao!
> 
> Thank you for your patience and continued support, I am still working on it and want it to be as good as it can be, so it's just taking a little bit of time.
> 
> Full disclosure real quick, I'm going to go back and edit some of the previous chapters. I am NOT changing any plot points, not even small ones. I am only changing minor vocab/grammar errors that I have noticed, that missed my initial edits. Looking back they drive me crazy.
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> A couple other notes:
> 
> -I had Elfman say: "if you're a man, then you are a man!"
> 
> Turns out this is a direct quote, that I pulled from the Elfman Strauss page on the Fairy Tail fandom wiki site.
> 
> -Okay, I'm busted. Blue Moon Drops.
> 
> I quickly realized that, even though I'd previously said that Fairy's Fate would have free drinks all of Magic Hour, this was actually ridiculous. So many people would abuse this, get absolutely trashed, polish off the top shelf liquor for free, and try to sneak extra alcohol. It'd be a disaster, I don't think any club would want to take the risk. So instead, I backtracked and had them giving away only one free thing the whole night, a special cocktail they made in honor of the Blue Moon, that was so mild that hopefully no one would die of alcohol poisoning, even if they tried to guzzle them nonstop the entire hour.
> 
> I got the idea for the name from the story Passive Aggressive Post-Its by quite-a-riot. If you haven't read this fic, I *highly* recommend it. Seriously, I wish I could write this well. It's 500,000k words and 57 chapters, and Juvia only just got included in the story, but it's seriously great and I absolutely love it and the author has a whole arc with an alcohol she calls Moon Drip, which is presumably named after the spell from the show. I switched it up by making it a cocktail, changed 'Drip' to 'Drop' in reference to Lemon Drops (real cocktails), changed the color to blue, and named it in reference to the Blue Moon, which was already a recurring theme in my story. But I wanted to let you all know that I first got the idea of using the 'Moon Drip' spell name as a name for an alcoholic beverage from this story. It is truly a gem and the author deserves all the credit for making 'Moon Drip' alcohol.
> 
> -The story brought up briefly, about how the Fates are tricked into getting drunk:
> 
> The three sisters were tricked into becoming intoxicated by Alcestis, a princess in Greek mythology. Her husband and lover Admetus became gravely ill and passed away, throwing her into deep despair. She got the Fates drunk in an attempt to get Clotho to bring him back, but the three sisters explained that they could only bring him back if there was a replacement to take his place in the Underworld. When no replacement could be found, Alcestis offered up herself, and an agreement was made. She quickly became sick, sinking into her grave as Admetus came back to life.
> 
> The story actually doesn't end there. At the last moment, Heracles arrived. When Thanatos, a Greek god of death, came to take Alcestis, Heracles wrestled him and forced him to let Alcestis remain, allowing the two lovers to be reunited. Yay! Happy ending!
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> Thank you for reading and reviewing! Cheers!~


	10. Is it Too Late for Magic?

**Is it Too Late for Magic?**

**_Sunday, November 1st, 2020_ **

**_-Magnolia City-_ **

**_2 AM_ **

In an apparent contradiction to the laws of physics, and the irrefutable fact that hot air rises, Atropos's Attic was quite cold.

It was tucked up close to the ceiling of Fairy's Fate, looking out over the other floors below, which, despite the late hour, were still packed.

The dancefloor of Clotho's Counter jostled as the crowd jumped and shouted to the music, and Lachesis's Lounge seemed to swarm as people ordered drinks, even though the Magic Hour had ended and Blue Moon Drops were no longer free.

The club was thrumming with energy but Atropos's Attic remained aloof, only slightly registering the never-ending party below, making itself a refuge for people who needed a moment to breathe, or for blacked-out couples to make out in the dark.

Or for people like Gray, to sulk.

He sat hunched at the bar, glaring into the darkness of his drink, as a group of technicolor cat-girls ordered tequila shots nearby. Since the space was lit primarily with black lights, the details of their costumes popped while their faces were shadowed, accented only by glittery eye shadow.

Gray ignored them, focused on his thoughts and trying to get drunk, trying to forget how shitty the night had turned out. He was tired and it was late and he couldn't imagine that there was enough time for anything else to happen tonight. He just wanted to get back to the hotel and get some sleep, and maybe his head would be clearer then.

For now, he was content to drink. He sighed.

Why was it that Gray always ended up alone?

Lisanna and Cana were still laughing somewhere downstairs, Levy was off with some random guy, Jet and Droy always had each other (by the way, where the hell were they?), and Natsu and Lucy were probably necking each other in the dark by now.

Or at least they better be, after Gray gave Natsu the perfect fucking set-up, he was gonna be so pissed if Natsu, the flame-brained idiot, managed to fuck this one up too…!

He sighed again. God dammit.

Natsu was so fucking lucky. He and Lucy were perfect for each other, as if they were the protagonists in their own story, written to be the perfect companions. They matched so well. But if they were the stars of their own show it probably wasn't something dopey like a romantic drama or comedy, Gray snorted at the thought. No, knowing Natsu it'd be some kinda action adventure shonen or something. Something with lots of fighting.

But either way, Gray wouldn't be the star. He was the sidekick, the quarreling friend. The fact that he was alone right now was proof enough of that. Off to the side, in the dark, sipping something strong, and trying to get back his chill.

He was a pretty chill guy. He liked to step back and go with the flow of things.

He downed the rest of his drink and lazily looked up to wave the bartender down for another, his eye accidentally catching Atropos's in the process.

Like her two sisters, Atropos had her own portrait hanging above the bar. She was depicted as quite youthful, despite being the Angel of Death. Her long black hair, dark as the night sky outside, hung past her waist and she smirked at Gray, the pair of scissors held daintily in her hands glinting.

He shivered, looking away, and luckily the bartender came over quickly to refill his drink. He nodded in thanks, the man quickly returning to flirt with the cat-girls who were asking for another round.

Gray snorted and took a sip of the new drink, but then he paused, glancing down at it. It wasn't the same thing he'd been drinking before. It was silvery in color, filled to the brim with ice, and he frowned in confusion. He'd never ordered a drink like this, but glancing back at the bartender made him quickly give up on saying anything about it. The man was in way too deep with those kitties. It must have just been a mistake.

Gray shrugged, taking another sip, and tried to swallow down the sense of loneliness that had settled in his stomach.

The drink was sweet, something Gray didn't usually go for, but it was also a little crisp, and with surprise Gray realized he kind of liked it.

And with just as much surprise, Gray was suddenly thinking back to the girl he'd met earlier that night, with the deep blue hair and the deeper blue eyes. A mental image of her face flitted through his head as he took another sip, and he realized that of course the drink reminded him of her, it looked identical to the one she'd ordered earlier that night. He snorted at the irony. What a weird coincidence.

Now that he was thinking about her, he rolled her named around in his head, going over each syllable.

_Ju-vi-a._

Sweet and simple. Huh. Much like this drink.

And then there was that funny way that she talked about herself, in the third person, and how she walked as if she were gliding through water… How her hair curled just above her shoulders in just the right way, and how it was a deep shade of blue. And then of course her eyes, which were like looking into the depths of the ocean…

Gray's cheeks flushed and his eyes widened at the unexpected heat, glaring around as if he'd be able to see where the hot air was suddenly coming in. Why was he so hot all of a sudden, hadn't he just been enjoying how cool Atropos's Attic was?!

He shook his head before taking another sip, trying to clear his head as he enjoyed the taste. It was quite possibly his new favorite drink.

Involuntarily his eyes flickered back up to Atropos and he could sense her smirking at him. He knew rationally that it was just a painting, but something about the lighting and how she looked as if she could see into his soul made his stomach roll with uneasiness.

It was like she was laughing at him. What was that earlier, that Natsu had said about the sisters?

' _Isn't it something about looking at yourself, where you're at in life, and thinkin' about if you're ready to die?'_

Was he ready to die?

Well, no. But honestly, was anyone?

No one was ever truly ready to die. And come on, what a morbid theme for a bar! Why the hell did the Master have to make everything so deep all the time, when people were just out to have a good time?!

Gray glanced around the bar but realized that, well, everyone else _was_ having a good time. The technicolor kitties were taking a third round of tequila, flirting shamelessly with the bartender, and over by the balcony a couple of pixies glowed brightly as they danced gleefully to the music floating up from below. A group of rowdy cowboys was in the corner by the felted pool tables, and a drunken couple was making out on a couch.

Everyone else was enjoying themselves, living in the moment, and Gray was the only one slumped at the bar. A spot of sour gloom amidst the rollicking fun, contemplating death alone.

Typical.

He took another sip of his drink, glowering. Why wasn't he living in the moment too? Living his best life, like his friends? God dammit, even Levy had managed to get with a guy tonight! She was probably off, having some kind of wild wonderful adventure, and here he was, ready to go to bed!

His heart clenched. He felt like shit, but he wanted to have fun too! So why wasn't he? What could he do, right now, in this moment, to feel better? If he could do anything he wanted, or be anywhere in the world, where would he want to be? What would he want to do?

The thought of Juvia flitted back through his mind for a second and a small part of him was convinced it was only because of the eerily similar drink he was sipping, but another small part of him realized that he did genuinely enjoy spending time with her. She was funny and cute and charming, and her calm disposition put him at ease.

He kinda wanted to know more about her, maybe talk with her some more. The thought of sitting at a bar with _her_ was infinitely more appealing to being at a bar _alone_ , and the more he thought about it the more he had a sudden urge to get up and go find her.

Maybe it wasn't as late as he thought.

The Magic Hour was over, but did that really mean it was too late for magic tonight?

He glanced back up at Atropos, meeting her eyes and seeing the challenge in them. But this time it wasn't a question of if he was ready to die, but if he was ready to live.

He couldn't resign himself to being the sidekick his entire life. Maybe it was time for him to take action, do something for himself, do something crazy and unexpected and completely uncharacteristic. Maybe it was time for him to make his own story, rather than go with the flow of someone else's. After all, the sidekick never got the girl.

With a sudden burning conviction Gray stood, slamming the glass down on the counter, his stool tipping over and crashing to the ground behind him. The bartender and technicolor cat-girls glanced over in surprise but Gray ignored them, meeting Atropos's smirk with a burning glare.

She was taunting him, but he wouldn't let the Angel in the Attic win.

He was gonna go find Juvia cause why the hell not. Purely because he wanted to, cause he could.

 _Carpe diem_ and all that shit, right?

* * *

The night air was sweet after the suffocating corridors of the Haunted House.

Levy breathed deeply as she leaned into Gajeel's chest. They'd gotten out a little bit ago and had since been traversing narrow roads and dark alleys, Gajeel's pace was clipped. Warehouses loomed on either side, allowing only a small strip of sky to be seen above.

For now, Levy was content to let Gajeel lead the way. He probably had a much clearer sense of where they were, and where he was going, and her heart was still beating a hundred miles a minute in her chest. But judging by the fact he was walking and not running, she figured they were no longer being actively chased. He kept a watchful eye, so hopefully they were okay…

Gajeel paused next to a bulky dumpster with rusting green paint, and glanced around again before finally setting Levy down.

She shivered a bit, suddenly cold, and winced as she accidentally stepped in a puddle, cold water splashing up onto her feet. Levy sighed, looking down forlornly at her beaten up and soaking sandals. They certainly wouldn't be usable after this.

She looked down at the rest of herself and sighed again. She was a bit of a mess. Her legs were smudged with dirt, her shirt was bloody and torn. She didn't even want to think about her hair.

Hilariously enough, the only article of clothing that still looked okay was that dumb skirt. Maybe it was because it had such little fabric anyways, there wasn't much to be destroyed. But that also meant it didn't do anything to warm her up and she was wishing she hadn't left her cloak on the ground back in the Haunted House. Ugh, and she'd already lost her phone tonight, too.

This night was _not_ going how she'd planned it and Levy did _not_ like feeling so unkempt.

And she'd certainly never in a thousand years thought armed gunmen would ever chase her down and try to kill her.

She shivered, glancing up at Gajeel. He'd been silent since they'd gotten outside and he was peering back in the direction they'd just come from. She glanced that way herself but wasn't able to pick out much in the dark.

"Uhm, Gajeel?" Levy asked hesitantly. His eyes flicked to her briefly, so quickly she almost missed it, but then he was back to looking down the alley. He didn't say or do anything else to indicate he'd heard her, and Levy swallowed nervously as her mind raced.

"Uh, do you think we're safe here?" she asked. Nervous energy was still coursing through her, she still felt on edge. It was likely remnants of the adrenaline from earlier, when she'd been shot at in the mirror maze.

Gajeel was silent for a moment, but then grunted and turned to face her fully, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Levy took his shift in body language to be a positive sign, that he thought they were okay, and she sighed with relief, placing a hand over her racing heart.

Gajeel looked her over, narrowing his eyes on her arms.

"Lev, roll yer sleeves up."

"Huh?" Levy was surprised to hear him speak, then she realized what he'd said and she glanced down at her arms. "Oh, right," she said, realizing it'd probably be good to see if she had any bad cuts, or if any of them were still bleeding. It was hard to see with the fabric of her poor sleeves in the way.

Gajeel simply watched as Levy began hesitantly pulling her sleeves up past her elbows, but she was still a little distracted.

"Gajeel, why do you think those men were chasing us?" she asked, looking up at him. His eyes were dark, he said nothing. Levy frowned in thought.

"It just doesn't make sense. I don't understand why we'd be a target… Do you think maybe it's because we were in a sketchy area, being by the docks? Maybe it was a robbery gone wrong?" Levy mused, her analytical mind taking over as she started to go over the facts.

"But that doesn't really make sense, because they started shooting us _first_ , without even knowing if we had anything worth stealing. Maybe they just wanted to steal your car?"

"Lev, yer sleeves."

"Oh! Right," Levy said sheepishly as she realized she'd been so caught up in her thoughts she'd stopped rolling her sleeves up. She jumped back to the task, hissing as a finger brushed one of her cuts. Gajeel's glare deepened.

"But they shot _at_ your car, why would robbers shoot at something they'd presumably want to be able to sell? So then… they only wanted it for parts? No," Levy shook her head, finally finishing with her sleeves and Gajeel crouched in front of her, gingerly taking one of her wrists and lifting it up, to better see the cuts on her arm. Levy shivered at the touch.

Gajeel let Levy keep talking. He wasn't about to mention that the car hadn't even been his, that he'd stolen it first.

"No, that must be a dead end. If they wanted your car they wouldn't have shot at it. So, they didn't want to rob us. So then… they just… wanted… us… dead."

Levy swallowed thickly as she tried to process the thought that someone she didn't even know might want to kill her. Gajeel was silent, moving to her other arm.

He was relieved to see that most of the cuts were thin scratches, already scabbed over. Only two looked deep, and only one was still bleeding. He'd need to wrap it…

"Okay, but why," Levy frowned, deep in thought. "Why would anyone want to kill us? I can't think of a single thing I've done that would warrant tha- Ga-Gajeel?! _What are you doing?!"_ Levy cried, jumping when, with zero warning, Gajeel suddenly grabbed her by the hips and pulled her close, moving his face down toward her stomach.

Levy tried to push him away by the shoulders, his nose was so close to her belly button that it was surely going to touch, and a storm of butterflies flurried up inside of her such that when Gajeel finally pulled away only a millisecond later, Levy was left frozen in shock, her face on fire and her heart pounding in her chest. She was leaning on his shoulders and he was looking back at her with a totally neutral expression, his hands still on her hips.

"E- _eh?_! I-! _What?!"_ Levy stuttered, frantically trying to figure out what the hell just happened when she noticed the long strip of fabric now hanging from between his teeth.

"My-! My-! _My shirt!"_ Levy cried, glancing down and noticing that half her hem was missing. Her face fell as she tried to catch her breath. "You-! _You ripped my shirt!"_

Gajeel snorted, reaching up to grab one of her wrists so he could look at her cuts again.

"It wash alweady ripp'd," Gajeel grunted, the fabric between his teeth muffling his voice.

"But you made it worse!"

"Needed ta wrap yer cut."

He shrugged as if it was damn obvious, and Levy pouted as she looked down at her mangled shirt. Well, yeah, it was already ruined, but come on! At this rate, she'd soon be wearing tattered rags!

Gajeel stood swiftly when he was done wrapping her arm and before Levy could say anything else he'd swung his jacket around her shoulders, leaving her once again frozen in surprise. With his jacket around her shoulders, she was suddenly engulfed in his warmth and in his smell.

She looked up at him hesitantly but he'd crossed his arms over his chest and was glaring into the alley. Levy's cheeks burned with a new blush. It didn't help that he looked really good in just a t-shirt.

She realized maybe this was his way of apologizing for ripping her shirt, or maybe he'd noticed how cold she was. Either way, she figured it'd be rude not to accept it, and she slowly slipped her arms into the sleeves, pulling it tightly around herself. It was way too large on her, and Levy's heart fell as she thought about how childish she probably looked. But it made her feel safe.

Why had they chosen flimsy anime costumes? On that note, why did anime characters always dress so impractically? She was wishing they'd dressed in something more durable. Maybe next year they could all be _Lord of the Rings_ characters or something, with pants and suits of armor. Then at least they'd be dressed to expect a journey. But that was the thing about journeys, she supposed with some reluctance. They tended to be pretty unexpected.

Not that this had been much of a journey, persay, really more of a _suddenly-being-chased-by-strangers-trying-to-murder-you-for-no-apparent-reason_ thing.

And the big question was _why?_

She thought back to the mirror maze, forcing her breath to remain even as she remembered the sheer panic of that moment. With a clearer head she was able to recall more details and with a swirl of new anxiety she remembered noticing a body in the ground, among the glass, when Gajeel had carried her out. It must have been the person who'd been shooting at her.

She looked up at Gajeel nervously. As much as she couldn't wrap her head around the gunmen's actions, she also couldn't imagine wishing death upon anyone.

"Gajeel?" Levy asked hesitantly. He made no sign of acknowledgment. "Uhm, that man that was on the ground, in the glass. He wasn't, uh, he wasn't dead, right?"

Gajeel turned to look at her, his eyes dark, and Levy waited breathlessly for a reply. He said nothing for a moment, simply searching her face, and the seconds felt drawn out, until finally he grunted and shook his head. Levy sighed with relief.

But then…

"Do you think they'll come after us again?"

Gajeel said nothing. He was finding it hard to look at her.

It was obvious to Gajeel that this whole shit show was entirely his fault. It had everything to do with who he was and who he worked for, and it had absolutely nothing to do with Levy. He grit his teeth. A formidable anger was raging inside of him, just below the surface. It was _his_ fault that he'd put her life in danger tonight, it was because she'd been with _him._ And it was Gajeel's opinion that the less Levy had to do with him, the better, which meant the less she knew, the better.

So he certainly wasn't going to correct her, and tell her it'd been a woman on the ground in the glass, not a man. And he hadn't lied, because no, that woman was not dead.

But he wasn't about to tell Levy about the guy he'd shot, just before he'd found her. That guy was probably dead. And he certainly wasn't going to tell her that when he'd searched that guy's body and found his wallet, he'd seen a police badge inside.

So, the police wanted Gajeel dead. They were probably detectives because they weren't in uniform. But why had they shot first? Seemed kinda sketchy for cops.

José had moles in the force, so whenever they'd investigated Gajeel in the past, he'd always had a heads up. They could never get anything on him anyways, he always got away, and he'd been pretty sure there were no active investigations right now.

Were these cops investigating him in secret then? Under the radar? Had they found something on him, something strong enough to bring him in? But they should've arrested him first, not tried to kill him. That wasn't proper procedure. So were these cops crooked? Maybe they had some kinda personal vendetta? Honestly he'd done so much shit to so many people, he couldn't really keep track.

Or maybe this had nothing to do with him personally, maybe it was only because he worked for Phantom Lord.

Sabertooth, one of the three main Guilds in the city, they ran the police. They had ties to every major branch of government, and even though not all the cops in the city pledged their allegiance to them, every cop in the city undoubtedly worked for them, knowingly or not.

Was Sabertooth sending cops after him to start a Guild war with Phantom Lord? Were they trying to piss José off? Gajeel dismissed this thought pretty quickly. He was fairly certain Sabertooth was in no position to challenge Phantom Lord.

They liked to pretend that the Phantom Lord Guild was only around because they permitted it, but the truth was they weren't strong enough to confront José. And Gajeel was fairly certain José had some dirt on Sabertooth's Guild Master, the Mayor of Magnolia City. They wouldn't risk a Guild War, especially not when Fairy Tail was equally as powerful and tended to be a bit of a wild card. The three Guilds navigated a rocky road, but Gajeel was pretty sure none of them were ready to start a Guild War.

Unless something had changed?

"We should probably call the police," Levy was saying now. "Gajeel, do you have a phone?"

Gajeel snorted. The thought of _him_ calling the _police_ was hilarious. And of course, Levy didn't realize it'd been the police who were trying to kill them. They couldn't trust anyone in the force right now.

Levy frowned up at him. "Gajeel, I'm serious, the police will be able to help us. And there are still lots of people back in the Haunted House, they could still be in danger."

"No, no police," Gajeel grunted, and Levy's confusion deepened.

"What? Gajeel, that's insane, we can't just abandon all those people!"

"I can assure ya, Shorty, that the police're already there."

Levy frowned thoughtfully at this. "Do you think it's been long enough that someone else has already called them?"

He didn't say anything, simply mulling over his own thoughts, when his cell buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out absentmindedly, flipping it open to check the notification and his blood instantly ran cold.

Like the flip of a switch, his mind was racing, but no longer about the police or why they'd been after him. A flash of fear was coiling its way back into his stomach again, and nervous sweat was already collecting on his temple. _Fuck, fuck, fuck_.

He didn't have time anymore, not for any of this, and especially not for Levy. It was time for her to get the fuck out of there.

" _Shorty, we gotta go."_

Levy gave a start when Gajeel suddenly took off, walking swiftly towards the end of the alley. She'd been so lost in thought, it took several moments for her to realize she needed to run now to catch up to him, and she definitely didn't want to be left behind. Why the hell was he suddenly racing to get out of there?

A flash of panic ran through her when she wondered if he'd seen the gunmen. Were they here, in this alley? Had they found them?! She whipped her head around, straining to see the other end of the alley, trying to spot them in the shadows, but it was too dark and she kept tripping as she ran.

"Where're ya stayin' Shrimp," Gajeel asked, throwing the question over his shoulder. Levy frowned, hugging herself as she ran to keep the oversized jacket from flopping around.

"What? Why are you suddenly in such a hurry, Gajeel?! What's happening? Is it the gunmen? Did they find us?" She looked back again but still nothing.

"Nah," he grunted and Levy was relieved to hear that, but it didn't explain why he was suddenly in such a hurry.

He reached the end of the alley and stepped out onto a sidewalk, surprising a couple who had been walking nearby. They looked him over warily and gave him a wide berth. He ignored them, stepping up to the road, already searching for a cab to flag down.

Levy burst out of the alley seconds later, panting as she glanced around. It was a busier than she'd been expecting. Groups of people, most dressed in Halloween costumes, strolled down the sidewalks. Gajeel had already managed to get a cab by the time Levy caught up with him, and she looked between him and the cab with confusion as she approached.

He pulled the back door open and pointed to the backseat. Levy frowned.

"What? Where are we going?"

" _Yer_ goin'," Gajeel grunted. "Tell the cabbie where ya need ta go, he'll take ya."

Levy frowned as she grasped the full extent of his words.

"Wait, you're not coming with me?" she asked, looking up at him and noticing that his jaw was clenched in anger, that he looked on edge. His entire body language screamed that he wanted to run.

"Gajeel, what's going on? Why aren't you coming with me?"

Gajeel growled, he didn't have time for this. "Just get in the damn cab, Shorty, and tell 'em where ya need ta go!"

Levy felt anger start to flare up inside of her. What the hell? After everything they'd been through tonight? He was just suddenly trying to get rid of her? He was _ditching_ her? _Like hell!_

"No," she said stubbornly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "No, I won't get in the damn cab until you tell me what's going on."

"Somethin' came up, Shrimp. Just get yer ass in the cab, where the hell are ya stayin'?"

Levy was stunned, what the hell was his problem? Something came up? _Something came up?!_ What the fuck could be more important right now than dealing with what had just happened to them!? The audacity!

" _No_ , I will not get in this cab! Not unless you come with me or tell me what's going on! How dare you, Gajeel?! How dare you ditch me right now?! What possibly could have _come up_?!"

Gajeel felt his anger boiling to a breaking point, fueled by the anxiety and the fear that had blossomed out from that one little text.

' _Mj4u E4n20'_

In other words, _Master José is looking for you, be at Element 4 in 20 minutes._

Why the hell was Master José looking for him?!

On the one hand, it could just be about the fight. But after all the other shit, Gajeel was finding it increasingly harder not to be paranoid about this. Did José know about what happened at the Haunted House? Did he know about Levy? Why the hell was he looking for him right now?!

Gajeel had figured he had the whole rest of the night to get his shit in order, but now he was low key panicking at the thought that he had to deal with the Master when there were still so many loose ends and things he didn't know.

He didn't have time anymore to get Levy back to wherever she was staying, he had less than twenty minutes to get to Element 4 and he'd be in even deeper shit than he already was if he was late.

And now Levy was being stubborn as all hell and he wondered if he could just throw her in the back of the cab himself and be done with it. He tried to breathe deeply through his nose.

"Shorty," he ground out, his teeth clenching in frustration. " _Get in the cab."_

Levy met his smoldering glare with one of her own.

"No."

" _Get in the damn cab!"_

" _No!"_

" _Is anyone gettin' in my cab or not?!"_ the cabbie cried, and with purpose Levy strode forward, grabbing the door from Gajeel's grasp and slamming it shut.

The cab sped off without waiting a moment more and Gajeel growled deeply before looking up to wave another one down, but before he could lift his arm, Levy reached out and grabbed his hand with her own. He glared down at her fiercely but guilt was starting to trickle its way in as well, just from the way she was looking at him.

She was just so furious! How could Gajeel do this to her?! After everything they'd just been through?!

She'd lost her friends, she'd lost her phone, she was lost in a city she'd never been to before. Her clothes were ripped, her arms were bleeding, and she'd just been _chased at gunpoint_ and _shot at_ by people she _didn't even know_!

And Gajeel wanted to abandon her? Just like that? Because _something came up_?

"I thought..." Levy said, her voice breaking. "I thought I could trust you…"

Because for the past three years, on Halloween, whenever Levy somehow found herself in some sort of trouble, Gajeel had always somewhat mysteriously materialized out of thin air and helped her. He was more of a Devil than a Guardian Angel and he acted like too much of a jerk to be a knight in shining armor, but he'd always still managed to get her back safely, to wherever she needed to go. He'd never let her down.

She didn't even realize, until this moment, that she'd been expecting him to do just that again. She'd fully expected him to get her back to the hotel. And yeah, she hadn't been super thrilled when she'd first run into him tonight, in part because of their weird and fateful Halloween history, but that didn't mean she wanted him to just… abandon her.

She didn't realize that the corners of her eyes were tearing up, but the guilt inside Gajeel started to burn a bit deeper when he noticed and he hated himself all the fucking more for it, because he was in-between a rock and a hard place right now and he didn't have the fucking time to figure this shit out.

"Levy," Gajeel growled, his voice dangerously low. "I need ya ta get in a cab an' get back ta yer hotel."

"Why?" Levy asked stubbornly.

"I told ya, I don't have _time._ "

"Oh," Levy said, her face darkening. "Oh, because _something came up?_ Well, _excuuuse_ me! I don't mean to _hold you up_! It's not like we were just targeted by mysterious _gunmen_ or anything! It isn't like were almost just _killed_! _Clearly_ something else must be _much more important right now!_ And I still think we should _call the fucking police!"_

"I told ya, no police," Gajeel growled, narrowing his eyes.

" _Why the hell not?_ Even if they're already at the Haunted House, we need to give them a statement! File a report!"

Gajeel didn't reply, glaring at her as if that was the final word on the matter, and Levy puffed her cheeks out in anger and frustration.

"Gajeel, if you won't let me go to the police, at least let me stay with you! You can't just abandon me here, in a city I don't know! I have no way to get in touch with my friends, or anyone, for that matter, and what if something else bad happens?! It'd be safer for us to stick together right now! What if those gunmen come after us again?! We don't even know why they were shooting at us in the first place! We have no idea who they were or what they wanted or- oh my god!" Levy exclaimed, her eyes growing wide as a lightbulb went off in her head.

Suddenly everything clicked into place.

"Oh my god, I think I understand why they were shooting at us! And why you don't want to go to the police!"

Gajeel's eyes widened in shock. How the hell had she figured out who he was and who he worked for?!

"It's because of the fight! It's so obvious! You just won an _illegal_ fight! Oh my god, do you think there were bets placed on that fight?! Do you think someone lost a lot of money because you won?! Maybe someone is pissed at you for winning, and that's why they went after you?! That's fucking wild! And that's why you don't want to go to the police! Because you just fought _illegally_!"

Gajeel blinked.

Of course, Levy was completely wrong. But since there was so much she didn't know, it was a perfectly plausible explanation and since he didn't want to tell her the truth, he was more than happy to let her think this so that she'd stop asking questions. If he wasn't so desperate to get to Element 4, he'd almost find her naivety cute, because yeah there'd been a _shit ton_ of money placed on that fight, but anyone pissed at him for winning would have to go through José.

And Sabertooth and the police didn't give a damn about the fight, they'd participated in it themselves.

Gajeel simply nodded, "Right, so I need ya ta getch-yerself far away from me, Shorty, this's my problem."

But Levy was shaking her head, "No, Gajeel, you're wrong. We're both in this together now. They targeted me just as much as they targeted you. I can understand why you don't want to go to the police, so I won't force it. But you can't just ditch me here, Gajeel. Even if something important came up, please, just, take me with you. We're still safer together than we are apart and I just… please don't abandon me here."

_We're both in this together now._

She was right. She'd already gotten too caught up in his shit. What if that gunwoman had gotten a good look at Levy? What if she was able to track her down now? He was seriously wishing he'd stuck a bullet through that woman's brain when he'd had the chance.

But if not her, who else might've seen Levy with him tonight? There were simply too many things he didn't know, and he realized furiously that at this point Levy would probably be safer if she stuck with him, but how the hell could he keep an eye on her when he needed to be at Element 4 in less than twenty minutes?! He couldn't take her there with him!

Or… Gajeel grit his teeth in anger, aching with frustration. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to stuff down the emotions and _think._

Maybe he _could_ take her to Element 4.

It was a fucking crazy idea because he'd be taking Levy directly into the lair of one of the most dangerous men in Magnolia City. But, it _was_ a public venue. Lots of people went to Element 4, people with no affiliation to José, and if José did somehow know about Levy, he'd never expect Gajeel to bring her there.

Plus, it was the police that were after him right now, and Levy by association. Since Element 4 was Phantom Lord's headquarters, other Guilds were prohibited. That meant no Sabertooth and that meant no police. Element 4 might be one of the safest places in the city. With José's henchmen guarding the place, the police would never be able to get in.

But he couldn't just let her waltz in there beside him, it'd be like putting a beacon on her face…

Gajeel hated this idea but he hated everything else and he was running out of time. He needed to make a decision and stick by it, and the more he weighed his options, the more he realized this could actually be the safest bet.

" _Fine."_

" _I won't take no for an answer! You seriously can't just ditch me here, I-!_ … Oh," Levy said, her eyes wide when she realized what he'd said. "Okay, uhm. Cool."

Then she realized she was still holding his hand and with a jolt she pushed it away awkwardly.

"Gah! Uh, sorry!"

But Gajeel was spinning on his heel and Levy huffed as she realized she'd have to run to catch up again, his wide strides already putting him quite a distance ahead of her.

"Thank you, Gajeel!" she panted as she tried to keep up. Why did he always have to walk so quickly?! She couldn't help it that one of his strides was at least two of hers!

Gajeel was too busy glaring to notice, running through a plan in his mind. It was pretty shitty, but so was this whole night apparently.

"We'll need ta make another stop, Shrimp," he said, growling over his shoulder. And then he added, as if it was an afterthought, "And it's hard lookin' fer someone so small, so don't leave my side."

* * *

Lucy wasn't quite sure how long ago the fireworks had ended.

All she could think about was how Natsu was still holding her close, pressing her up against the railing, and kissing the living daylights out of her. She could barely breathe, much less think about anything else, and when he finally pulled away they were both left panting, their breath visible in the cold air between them.

Natsu pressed his forehead up against hers and she swallowed thickly as she once again tried to come to terms with the fact that this was _real_. Natsu really wanted _her_. Her heart fluttered in her chest, a blush dusting her cheeks.

Natsu's eyes were dark, filled with some kind of hunger, and she shivered as he stared deeply at her. Then he was leaning down again, ready to recapture her lips, and all of her desperately wanted that but the more rational side of herself was shouting through the haze of desire, insisting that they take a break and get their bearings.

She reached up with her hands and gently pushed him away by the chest, his brow instantly dropping in a frown as he looked down at her nervously, his good arm still slung low around her waist.

"Luce? You good?"

"Yes!" Lucy said quickly, not wanting him to think she was rejecting him. "Yes, no, I'm fine! I just-! Uh, I think we should take a moment to-! To, uh, breathe! That's all…,"

Lucy blushed deeply as she thought about what exactly they needed a moment to breathe _from_ and Natsu smirked at her, his canines flashing in the light.

"How long do you think we've been up here?" Lucy asked, trying to guess the time.

Natsu shrugged, not really caring, bringing his hand up to move a lock of hair out of her face.

"Well," Lucy said, frowning in thought. "We should really go find our friends again, don't you think?"

Natsu made a face but moved back enough to let her to stand up straight and glance around at the street again. It was still packed with people, ready to party much later into the night. She figured it'd be busy at least for another couple of hours.

But that didn't mean they needed to party too, and she looked at Natsu's arm in its sling. She'd feel better once they were back at the Hotel, so he'd be able to rest, and she didn't want to keep ditching their friends.

"Come on, we should go find everyone," Lucy said.

Natsu sighed, but he reached down and intertwined his fingers with hers in that way he always did and led her back towards the door they'd come through to get up to the roof.

She gave the city skyline one last appreciative glance, it really was quite breathtaking. She hadn't realized, though, when she first came up here that she'd have her breathe taken away by, uh, other things.

As they neared the door a thought came to Lucy's mind and she was suddenly hesitating. Natsu looked back at her questioningly as she stood frozen, staring at the door.

"Wait, but Natsu, what are we going to tell everyone…?!" Lucy moaned, not knowing where they'd even begin. How could she possibly explain all of this to their friends?! That she and Natsu were suddenly dating?! Or, wait, that they'd been dating for three years? So how long exactly had they been dating and when exactly had it started?!

Natsu looked at her like she was weird.

"Whaddya mean?" He asked.

Lucy stared at him, baffled, "I mean, everything's changed! What are we going to tell them?!"

Natsu snorted, smiling easily, "Nothing's changed, weirdo."

But then he felt uneasy when she didn't smile back. "Or er, I mean, of course! Things, uh… _have_ changed? Uh…"

Lucy watched him for a moment as he seemed to be trying to figure out what to say, and it was just so typical Natsu that she couldn't help snorting in laughter. Soon she was doubled-over and Natsu grinned, not entirely sure why she was laughing but he figured it was a good sign.

She straightened, brushing a tear from her eye, and smiled back at him brightly. All her fear and hesitation was gone, because she realized he was right. Nothing had really changed between them, nothing needed to.

Well, they'd kissed for the first time, and her gut twinged with excitement at where that part of their relationship might lead, but she was still Lucy and he was still Natsu, and just because they were officially dating now didn't mean that needed to change.

Everything would be okay, because he was with her and she was with him. It was them, together, like they'd been before.

"You're right, Natsu," Lucy said, squeezing his hand and stepping up closer to the boy. "Nothing's changed."

"Nice," Natsu said, his grin flashing as he turned back to the door. Everything was perfect again.

* * *

By the time Gray had made it to the front doors of Fairy's Fate, much of the conviction he'd felt earlier had dissipated.

The doubts were building up with each step and he was starting to think it through more rationally. After all, it had been an impulsive thought, to suddenly jump up and search out Juvia. There were too many parts that were just unpractical.

Enough time had passed since he'd left Element 4, who's to say she was still there? It'd be silly to expect her to be sitting in the exact same spot. She was her own person with her own schedule, she wasn't just going to wait around for him to come back.

So what, he was going to race all the way back there to not even be able to find her? That was ridiculous.

And then of course he had no way to contact her. He'd given her his number, but she hadn't given him hers, and she hadn't even texted or tried to call him yet. He pulled his phone out to confirm that, no, he didn't have any missed calls or texts from unknown numbers claiming to be Juvia.

That probably meant she didn't even want to contact him.

He sighed as he walked out of Fairy's Fate and looked at the bustling Strip.

He had no way to contact her and no way to find her. Might as well just give up. If she wanted to get in touch with him again, she could. But for now, he might as well accept the fact that Juvia probably wasn't thinking about him anymore.

They'd only met briefly and once he left town on Monday they'd probably never see each other again.

He scolded himself for getting caught up in some wild pipe dream, no doubt caused by the drinks and the fact that it was late.

"Hey man! Did ya have a good time?" a deep voice called and Gray glanced over to see Elfman, who had been walking along the line which still seemed to stretch around the building. It was a popular club after all, even if the Magic Hour was over.

"Yo, man," Gray grunted in greeting as Elfman came over, fist bumping him.

"You're still working?" Gray asked coolly.

"Yes, probably for a couple more hours too," Elfman said, crossing his arms over his chest. "The crowd probably won't die down until at least 4 am."

Gray's eyes widened. "Wow, really? But it's already so late! And it'd already be past three if it wasn't for the Magic Hour."

Elfman's laughter boomed, more than a little amused by the brooding man before him, who seemed to be wearing less articles of clothing than he had when he'd gone inside a little over an hour ago.

"Maybe for you, Gray! But people in Magnolia City like to party! It is Halloween, after all, and it's manly to stay out late!"

Gray snorted, that didn't even make any sense. But Elfman rarely did.

* * *

"This is what you needed to do so suddenly?" Levy asked, looking around in bafflement. "Go… mask shopping?"

Gajeel had dragged her into a tiny little costume shop, tucked between two booming clubs right off a broad avenue that was teeming with people. Glancing out the dusty doors she saw a constant stream of fantastical costumes pass by and she couldn't help from smiling a little. It felt good to be back amongst crowds of other people.

But she was truly mystified as she watched the stern man rummage through piles of face masks on one of the crowded shelves. They were the only customers inside the dim shop and the elderly shopkeeper seemed to be dozing slightly at the checkout. The clothes racks were bulging, the shelves overflowing, and the store seemed almost a little too small for how much merchandise had been packed inside.

Levy wondered if this was a costume store all year round, or if it was some kind of cute pop-up, only for Halloween. But with the amount of stuff, it seemed hard to believe it was set up just for this one holiday. Did people here like to dress up all year round?

Gajeel pulled out a fish mask and held it up in front of Levy's face, eyeing her with a serious expression.

"Hmm," he grunted thoughtfully, rubbing his chin as she looked back up at him questioningly through the eyeholes of the mask.

"Do ya think this looks enough like a shrimp?" he deadpanned, with such a serious tone that it took Levy a moment to realize he was mocking her height again and she flushed with annoyance, batting the face mask away as he chuckled.

"Fine! If you insist on cryptically mask shopping, at least let me pick one out myself!" Levy huffed, turning to peruse the masks.

"Suit yerself, Shorty, but make it quick," he grumbled, serious again, and Levy scoffed as she dug through the piles.

"Okay, okay, what about this one?" she asked, holding a blue and orange mask in front of her face, which was shaped to fan out across her face like butterfly wings. Gajeel hardly gave it a glance before snatching it from her to saunter over to the checkout counter, Levy puffing her cheeks in frustration.

"Did it look okay, at least?" she asked as she caught up and Gajeel shrugged in reply, tossing it on the counter, which caused the elderly cashier to startle awake.

Gajeel wasn't about to mention that the mask Levy picked out actually went with her hair quite well, and it made her impossibly large eyes look impossibly larger. But whatever, as long as it did the job it was fine, and they didn't have all night.

"What about you?"

"Eh?" Gajeel grunted, turning to look at Levy as she stared at him, still drowning in his coat. The sight of Levy in his coat did strange things to his stomach, but he'd never in a million years admit it.

She frowned, "Aren't you going to get one for yourself?"

Gajeel snorted. He really didn't need one. Even if he tried to wear a mask in Element 4, most people would know who he was by virtue of his hair and height alone. He was there often enough, it wouldn't do much. But he glanced at another rack of masks by the register and picked one out on a whim, tossing it beside Levy's for the old man to check out.

"A Guy Fawkes mask?" Levy asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"What?" he grunted, distracted as he glared at the old man, frustrated that he seemed to be the slowest cashier in the entire land.

"Ya know," Levy continued. "Guy Fawkes! The Gunpowder Plot! _'Remember, remember! The fifth of November! The gunpowder treason and plot!'"_

Gajeel glanced down at her strangely.

"The Anonymous mask?" Levy tried, but his face remained blank and it was enough to make Levy snort with laughter. It was exactly like how he hadn't known what _Mean Girls_ was. Seriously, how was it possible for someone to be so pop culturally illiterate? Did he live under a rock?

"Dunno it," he shrugged, turning back to the cashier who had finally finished ringing the two masks up and was now smiling between Levy and Gajeel with a warm glint in his bright blue eyes.

"Anything else I can get you, dears?" he asked kindly and Gajeel was about to insist that no, they were good, and they _really needed to fucking go_ when he paused, glancing at Levy's arms. They were hidden by the sleeves of his jacket, but he knew her cuts would do better with something other than strips of shirt wrapped around them.

"Actually," he grunted, leaning forward onto the counter. "Do ya got any bandages?"

* * *

"Hey Grayyy! This is perfect! We were just about to call you!"

Gray glanced over and noticed Cana and Lisanna, and Natsu and Lucy, all walking out of Fairy's Fate and headed towards where he was chatting with Elfman.

"Little sis!" Elfman cried happily, and Lisanna ran over to give him a friendly hug.

"Did you have a good time?" He asked brightly, and Cana yelled out happily, punching a fist in the air.

"Abso-fucking-lutely! But time to mix up our venue, folks!" she cried, Elfman raising an eyebrow when he noticed the glass in her hands.

"Ya know, Cana, I shouldn't be letting you leave the club with a drink," he said, Cana winking at him mischievously.

"But you wouldn't tell on little old me, would ya?" she chuckled, quickly chugging the drink anyway in case Elfman decided to enforce the rule.

"Cana is right, we're thinking we'll head back to the Hotel!" Lisanna said, smiling up at her brother.

"Say 'Hi' to Mira for me then," he replied and Lisanna nodded happily.

As the siblings were talking, Gray glanced over at Natsu and made eye contact with the man. They hadn't exactly parted on friendly terms, but after a second of glaring at each other silently, Natsu gave him a sharp nod and Gray returned it in kind. And just like that things were good between them again, no need to talk it out.

"Alright, guys, lets get a cab!" Cana said.

"Do you think we should get two?" Lucy asked, looking at the group. "There's five of us, I don't think we can all squeeze into one."

"Hmm," Lisanna nodded sagely, "You're probably right. Unless we sit in the boys' laps," and she winked at Lucy, Lucy's face flushing brightly.

Cana and Lisanna didn't miss a thing, they'd both winked at her profusely when she and Natsu had found them again. And their winks were so dramatically obvious, Lucy wanted to die.

"Huh, but actually," Lisanna said now, looking around thoughtfully. "Anyone know where Jet and Droy are?"

* * *

Deep trance music pulsed through Element 4.

Levy felt it sweep through her as she snaked through the crowd after Gajeel. It was dark, people melting in and out of the shadows as they made their way between the different bars and the dancefloor. It was hard for Levy to distinguish faces in the dim lighting, only seeing snatches of color from costumes as they drifted past.

Gajeel had gotten them inside through a small nondescript door in the back and Levy was all the more curious as to why they were there. Before entering he'd insisted on covering her hair with the hood of his jacket, and he'd made her promise not to take the face mask he'd just bought her off. She'd agreed, but rolled her eyes at how dramatic he was being.

Now it seemed like he was leading her towards a small bar under some stairs and she looked around curiously as they neared it.

What could Gajeel have needed to do so suddenly at a club? It'd have to be something pretty important, if he'd been in such a hurry to get there, and especially since he'd initially wanted to ditch her rather than have her come, despite the fact they'd literally just been attacked by active shooters.

Did he need to meet someone? Like a friend? Or… or an ex-lover?

Wait, or a _current lover?_ Levy frowned when she realized she'd never thought about Gajeel's relationship status before. And she chastised herself for thinking of 'ex-lover' first. But Gajeel being in a relationship was a little hard to conceptualize. Granted, he was a person, like any other, so it was a perfectly valid guess: to meet a lover. Of some kind. The thought made her feel a little queasy but she added it anyways to her list of possibilities.

What other reasons might there be?

Maybe he worked here? Did he forget he had to go to work? Levy snorted at the thought of Gajeel as a bartender, serving people drinks. Maybe he was a bouncer? That was easier to visualize, especially after she'd discovered how good he was at fighting. And, uh, how he had such a muscular physique.

Ooh, or maybe he was a drug dealer?! After all, she knew after the fight that he wasn't afraid to dabble in illegal affairs.

The more Levy thought about it, the more it was clear there was still much she didn't know about the mysterious man. It's not like they'd ever had much time for chit chat, whenever they'd run into each other on Halloween.

When they got to the bar Gajeel staked out an empty stool in the corner and before Levy could protest, he'd picked her up by the waist and firmly set her down on it. She pouted, blushing deeply behind her face mask. Even though she was sitting, the stool was tall enough that she was now almost at eye level with him.

He crossed his arms firmly and said, "Stay."

Levy blinked.

"I'm not a dog, Gajeel," she retorted, crossing her own arms and glaring back.

"Don't talk ta anyone," he continued, starting to list off more rules that made Levy's glare deepen.

"And _don't_ take off yer mask."

"Is that all?" Levy asked defiantly, sitting on the edge of her stool. "Need I remind you, Gajeel, once again that I am _not_ a dog?"

"I'll be right back," he grunted, eyes hard, and then he swiveled on the ball of his foot and left, leaving Levy to watch him walk away curiously until he'd disappeared into the crowd.

Once he'd gone, she sighed, deflating backwards to lean against the bar somewhat dejectedly. Well he'd kinda abandoned her anyways, but at least he'd said he'd be back.

She glanced around at the club, taking it all in. In the back of her mind she wondered if they were still safe there, if the gunmen were still trying to chase them. A dark club might be the perfect place for gunmen to sneak into, they'd followed them into the Haunted House after all.

But the surrounding crowds of people helped put Levy's mind at ease. No one would try to shoot her so openly in public, right?

And Gajeel had left her here, so he probably thought it was safe enough. She wanted to trust him.

She'd just have to entertain herself until he came back apparently, and she was already eyeing the many costumes with interest. Halloween was always a fun night for people watching. It really was quite crowded, even though Levy figured it was pretty late.

She had no way to check the time, without having her phone on her, but she imagined they'd probably already fallen back. Was it the Magic Hour right now then? Or had that already happened? It was a bit disorienting, not knowing what time it was. It made her feel even more like she'd walked into the Twilight Zone, a place she often felt like she was whenever she ran into Gajeel.

She hoped at least her friends were having a good night… This would be one hell of a story to tell Lucy. But which parts could she really tell her? How could she ever explain to Lucy who Gajeel was? What role he'd played in the fight? And could she really tell Lucy that she'd just been chased at gunpoint through a Haunted House?

Now that it was over, and she'd had more time to process the panic and fear, she was deeply curious about the why of it all. She wanted to know who they'd been and why they'd been chasing them. Maybe it'd be in the news tomorrow. Or maybe she could get information from the police somehow, on the down-low, even though she knew Gajeel didn't want to get involved with them. Was there a way she could contact them without getting him mixed up in it?

She didn't know how she felt about his involvement in the illegal fight, and she didn't usually condone illegal things, but she was also someone who recognized that there were always two sides to every story. She felt that the law existed with the best of intentions, but in practice it wasn't always perfect. No one usually thought of themselves as the bad guys, even those on the other side of the law. Morality wasn't black and white.

She wanted to be able to research this. It made sense that it might all be connected to the fight, and she figured Gajeel might know more about it than he'd let on. She wanted to ask him more about it, since they'd barely had time to talk once he'd spontaneously decided that _something came up_.

Once she could get herself cleaned up, and get her life back in order, maybe she could get some serious research done on all of this. Ooh, maybe she could even go to the library tomorrow. She'd heard that the library in Magnolia City was wonderfully large, filled with a glorious selection of books…

Levy was so busy daydreaming about how amazing the Magnolia City Library was supposed to be, she almost didn't notice the question until most of it had already been asked.

" _Are you just gonna sit there or would you like to get a drink?"_

* * *

Gajeel could feel Levy's eyes on his back as he left her at the small bar under the stairs.

He hoped she did ask he'd asked. She was so small, she should be okay as long as she stayed put and kept the hood up and kept her mask on and didn't talk to anyone and hopefully no one would notice her or try to talk to her…

He growled as he stepped up to the silvery doors of an elevator. It was honestly a straight shit plan, but he hadn't had time to take her anywhere else. Hopefully he could finish up with the Master quickly and then they could get the fuck out of there.

His stomach twisted in concern as he walked into the elevator, the doors sliding shut behind him and cutting off the noise of the club. Gajeel punched in the security passcode that would give him access to the upper floors.

Why the hell was Master José looking for him so suddenly?

Gajeel clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to force down the powerful emotions he'd been feeling all night so he could be calm and collected when he had to face José.

_Never show weakness._

_Just keep breathin'._

He started running through the facts to get his thoughts in order.

Erik had been the only one to see Levy at the Dragon's Den. Gajeel didn't think he had much to worry about there, though. The man didn't work for José, he only frequented the Dragon's Den because his girlfriend, Kinana, worked there.

Then he'd snuck Levy out of the Dragon's Den and they'd been followed. He still wasn't sure who'd followed them, it'd been an unmarked car, and he was fairly certain he'd lost them…

Then the cops had opened fire at the docks. They'd ditched the car outside the Haunted House. It was riddled with gunshots so the police would definitely take notice of it, but luckily since he'd stolen it first it wasn't tied to him. He'd smudged his prints, and gotten his duffle out, so there was just the possibility of DNA.

But in reality DNA testing could take several weeks or months. The police were too bogged down with red tape and paperwork to get anything done quickly. They simply didn't have the budget for it. That was plenty of time to find an alibi. Even if his DNA was found in the car, it wasn't a concrete link to a crime.

He'd stashed his bag behind a wooden coffin in the Haunted House, when running with it had gotten annoying. That shouldn't be an issue though, the police would assume it was used as a prop bag by the people running the Haunted House. Same for Levy's cloak, it'd just go into Lost and Found. They'd assume one of the guests had lost it.

So then there was the cop he'd killed. Well dead men tell no tales, right? No biggie. And even though he'd taken the man's gun with him, he could always safely dispose of it later. It was shoved in his pocket right now, where he'd moved it after he'd given Levy his coat.

He was confident that there was no way Levy could be physically linked to any of this. She didn't even live in Magnolia City, and he figured she'd never done a single illegal thing in her life so she probably didn't even have a file.

But the biggest hole, as far as he could see, was the woman in the Haunted House. Man, he'd been an idiot for letting her live. Eye witness accounts would be what would fuck them up the most, especially if anyone else he wasn't aware of had seen Levy with him.

The elevator doors slid open with a ding and Gajeel walked out swiftly into the dark red hallway that led to Master José's office on the fifth floor.

As he walked, he worked on focusing his mind and setting his face to his signature iron cast.

_Never show weakness._

_Just keep breathin'._

It was as if every interaction he'd ever had with Master José had prepared him for this, this moment when he was actually feeling scared about something for the first time in his life. More than ever, he couldn't afford to let the Master find out about _anything_.

He just needed to figure out what the man knew, and if he was lucky this was all just about the fight.

He approached the two ominously large doors that led into Master José's opulent office and with one last deep breath, he pushed them open to saunter in.

José was seated at his desk, his elbows on the surface in front of him and his hands held in front of his face. His eyes were dark as Gajeel approached and as always, he felt like a tiny little bug under the Master's menacing gaze, ready to be squashed at any second.

He focused on his breath, stopping halfway across the room and crossing his arms in front of his chest, glaring back as he always did, trying to act nonchalant. But the worry was creeping its tendrils through his mind because right next to the Master's desk, leaning against it and glaring sharply back at Gajeel, was fucking Totomaru.

 _Fuck_ , he'd run into Totomaru when he'd been sneaking Levy out of the Dragon's Den.

"Welcome, Gajeel, so good of you to _finally_ join us," José sneered, no doubt chastising him for being late. Gajeel didn't react, just shifted his glare between the two men before him.

He felt confident he could get through this, but it was José's next words that sent a new spike of fear through his gut.

"Tell us, Gajeel, _what was in your bag?_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys :)
> 
> So this chapter was originally going to be twice as long, but it started getting really hard for me to write, just very cumbersome and over 20k words, so I split it up to get an update out sooner. Good news is, that means I'm pretty far ahead on the next chapter, and I'm hoping to start updating more regularly again!
> 
> Happy New Year btw! I hope 2021 is going well for you all so far!
> 
> I had a Levy moment last month: I was housesitting for some folks, and I know there are women who live/have lived there normally, but I got my period and couldn't find a single tampon in the entire place. I searched all the bathrooms and NADA. Maybe this is the karma I deserve after putting Levy through so much.
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> "And it's hard lookin' fer someone so small, so don't leave my side."
> 
> An obvious reference to that SUPER ADORABLE SCENE ON TENROU ISLAND, EPISODE 101 OF THE ANIME, WHEN GAJEEL SAVES LEVY FROM THOSE GRIMOIRE HEART GUYS.
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> For LoTR and The Hobbit nerds, I've put a couple references in so far:
> 
> 1\. Chapter 9, Jet and Droy end up in The Prancing Blue Pegasus, which was a reference to The Prancing Pony, an inn in Bree.
> 
> 2\. This current Chapter, Levy's thinking about how journeys are unexpected, and the first Hobbit movie title is An Unexpected Journey. Pretty obvious, considering she thinks that after wishing she was a LoTR character for Halloween. Dude, I wish I was a LoTR character all the time, let me live in Rivendell, pls.
> 
> Even in Chapter 4, when Levy is thinking about "the promise of an adventure, the open road ahead," I was definitely thinking about all those wanderlust quotes from LoTR.
> 
> .-.-.
> 
> Thank you mucho to everyone who has reviewed! Reading them makes my day! Have a wonderful rest of your week, Cheers!~


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